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!

12. Pythagorean Identities

A/N: Hey, everyone! It's that time of the month again, another update to this fic! And trust me, this one's a doozy, since we're introducing a certain character in the story and throwing them into the mix! Whoever could it be? Keep on reading to find out!

And in other news, the latest round of writing these chapters proved to be a little difficult and tedious for me. I owe it all to the goddamn heat-wave; I just absolutely DO NOT operate well under these conditions. It's actually slowing down my progress quite a bit. We'll see how it affects my updating schedule. For now, I could only hope better weather conditions are ahead.

Alright, 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 21, 2025 –
Alfheim, Parcellus, Undine Territory

Sachi was the first of her party to land, her feet lightly, delicately touching the ground of Parcellus' city square. Her gaze swept through the city of the Undines, watching her fellow Fairies peacefully go about their days while her friends landed behind her. She then turned around just in time to watch the others land behind her, one by one, until Klein was the last to do so.

"Here we are, everyone," she announced. "Parcellus."

Kirito blinked in fascination while he looked around, taking in the sight of the bustling Parcellus city square.

"So this is Parcellus..." he said. "The capital of the Undine Territory..."

"It looks amazing!" Liz exclaimed while she analyzed the surrounding buildings and their smooth, glittering surfaces. "It's like...we're in a giant sandcastle!"

Sachi blinked. "That's...the first time I've heard anybody describing Parcellus like that, but okay..."

"Huh?!" Liz looked at the Undine in surprise. "How long have you been playing this game, Sachi?!"

"About eight months." She thought about it for a moment. "Exactly eight months, actually..."

"And you're telling me you never thought about how these buildings look like giant mounds of sand?! Like the ones that you make with a pail?!"

"Seriously?" Agil asked with his arms crossed in disappointment. "We gonna focus on that? Or are we gonna focus on the bigger issue at hand?"

"Yeah," added Klein, his voice a hushed whisper, "like the fact that I seem to be attracting a looot of attention."

Sachi looked around again and realized that Klein was right. As soon as the Salamander landed, his presence had caught the attention of some of the nearby players.

"Hey, is that a Salamander?" one of them asked in surprise.

"What the hell's a Salamander doing here?" another queried. "Are we under attack?"

"Well, he's all by himself," a third replied. "And look, the Sapphire Shielder's over there!"

"Maybe she caught him while he was trying to spy on Parcellus."

"Yeah, she's gotta!" a fourth voice exclaimed. "She's the Sapphire Shielder, after all!"

"She's never let the Undines down before!"

Realizing her opportunity, and sensing more and more Undines taking notice of Klein, Sachi quickly moved to grab Klein by the arm and hold on with a vice-like grip.

"Come on, Salamander," she snapped in a voice loud enough to be heard by the other Undines within earshot. "You're in deep trouble now. Lord Fjord doesn't take too kindly to spies, and that's putting it lightly."

Klein looked down at her with a twinkling eye, and she wasn't sure if he was playing along or if he was genuinely turned on by her move. Or both. Either way, Sachi felt as if she had waded into a small pool of slime and came out.

"Ooh, a girl who likes to manhandle," he commented flirtatiously. "I like that in a- AGH! Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there!"

The disgusted Sachi had begun half-dragging the Salamander through the city square with a grimace. As she did, small bursts of applause erupted amongst the growing groups of onlookers, until everyone lounging in the square took notice of Sachi's purported accomplishment and began applauding her.

"WHOO! You go, girl!"

"Yeah, you sure showed that spy!"

"That's the Sapphire Shielder for you!"

"She's so powerful and so reliable!"

"Not to mention cute!"

"The perfect protector for Parcellus and the Undines, without a doubt!"

Overhearing the voices of her fellow Undines showering her with praise made Sachi's heart swell with immense pride. In that moment, she truly felt like she was extremely important in the grand scheme of things, and not just as the cowardly weakling that she once made herself out to be. And as she walked along, half-dragging Klein while the other members of their group followed them and her «Trident of Protection» bobbed back and forth on her back, Sachi's mind wandered to another thought.

"I hope Kirito is hearing the same things I'm hearing..."

---

CHAPTER 11: PYTHAGOREAN IDENTITIES

---

By the time the group exited the city square, Sachi's grip on Klein slackened, though she continued to keep him close to her. Every Undine they passed gave them side-glances and nods of approval (solely on Sachi's part), with the occasional compliment and murmur about her abilities and her contributions to the Undine race. By that point, Sinon had joined her in keeping Klein "secured", even though this only served to entertain the Salamander's id-borne wishes.

"Ehhhhh, you sure you girls are just doing this to keep up appearances?" he asked with a wiggling eyebrow "'Cause I'd totally understand if neither of you are able to keep your hands off of-"

"Remind me to wash my hands for two hours as soon as we drop the charade," Sinon interrupted in a cold, blunt voice.

"Will do..." Sachi replied, her voice deader than a freshly boiled fish.

"Aw, come ooooon, you two!" Klein gave them a roguish grin. "I know I may not exactly be a feast for the eyes, at least not at first, but I can assure you, I'm quite the gentleman!"

Sinon glowered at him with wary suspicion, like a cat sensing danger. "How old are you again?" Then, she narrowed her eyes further. "Actually, don't answer that question. I feel like I already know the answer."

Klein could do nothing but moan in shame. Even so, he trudged along with the two girls, and the group proceeded down the walkway towards Parcellus Castle.

As they neared the castle, Sachi started looking around in nostalgia. Liz's question about how long she had been playing ALO made her reflect on the past eight months, and she realized how much she had grown since her first day. The image of her scrambling around Parcellus searching for Sinon was but a distant memory now, yet it was one that made her lips twitch into a satisfied smile. She truly had improved by leaps and bounds since that time, together with Sinon and while under Leafa and Recon's guidance.

"H-He-Hey, S-Sachi!"

Recon's voice brought Sachi out of her self-reflection. She looked across her shoulder at her teammate, who had just run up to her side with flushed cheeks.

"Yes, Recon?" she asked.

"I-Isn't that th-the bench w-where we f-first met?"

The Sylph pointed ahead; Sachi followed his finger and spotted the simple wooden bench, stationed beside a streetlamp.

"I...I don't know," she replied. "Perhaps? All the benches look the same to me-"

"N-No, I-I remember it a-as clear as day!" Recon interrupted excitedly. Then, he looked at Leafa with wide, beaming eyes and a wider smile. "D-Don't you, L-Leafa?!"

Leafa cast an absentminded glance at the bench and replied, "I guess-"

All of a sudden, Klein spoke back up, unbidden, as if his earlier conversation with Sachi and Sinon had a lapse that lasted for only a few seconds.

"Look, girls!"

"Still trying to flirt with us?" Sinon asked flatly. "How desperate can you get?"

"Okay, I'll admit I'm older than the two of you, but-"

"So you're aware of the age difference too. Cool. Nice to know we've got our hands on a shameless pervert."

Klein gagged for a moment before protesting, "Hey, hey, hey, age doesn't mean anything when you've got an honorable samurai in your- Huh?"

A figure clad in green suddenly planted itself in front of Sachi, Sinon, and Klein. Though he was smaller in stature, there was no denying the look of resolve burning in the newcomer's eyes. Such a brave look was so uncharacteristic and yet so strong that it stunned Sachi and Sinon to their very cores.

"Hey!" Recon snapped without a hint of shakiness in his voice. "Quit it, creep! Don't you see that they're not interested?! Take a hint, will ya?!"

Klein's arms twitched, trying to raise themselves in a show of surrender, and Sachi and Sinon had to hold them down so that they could maintain their earlier façade in public.

"Okay, okay!" the Salamander cried. "Jeez, I'm surprised you had that kinda spark in you, kiddo!"

Recon's unease and self-doubt quickly returned, and he stammered, "W-We-Well, l-like I said before, I'm their dagger, a-and no dagger ever leaves its owner's hip! E-Ever!"

"...Still a weird analogy, but okay," Sinon commented. She then roughly pushed Klein along. "Now hurry up. We haven't got a moment to waste."

As the three passed by Recon, Sachi could vaguely overhear her Sylph teammate moaning lowly in embarrassment. She couldn't help but look over her shoulder, just in time to see Recon following them with slumped shoulders and a lowered face. He looked rather ashamed of himself for stepping in, which made her wrinkle her brow in worry. She sensed that he had something important he wanted to say in regards to the bench, but his opportunity had evidently come and gone.

"Oh, Recon," she thought sympathetically.

---

– X-Y-X –

---

As the rest of the group continued along toward their destination, Leafa lingered behind, her beautiful eyes glued to the bench that Recon pointed out. Even though Sachi seemed to have a hard time remembering it, Leafa did just as much as Recon, despite her casual, dismissive statement earlier.

After all, Leafa knew it was the moment where she should've just walked away from that helpless Undine.

"Tha...Thank you... I-I am in all your debt."

"Ahhh, don't mention it! But, before we take you to Parcellus Castle, I wanna ask you, what's your name, Undine?"

"Hm? M-My name? I-I'm Sachi. It's so nice to meet you, Leafa."

"I still can't believe it," she thought. "I should've connected the dots sooner. I...I shouldn't have willingly blinded myself to what was happening in front of me, all around me...behind my back..."

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

"Sure. Where do you wanna meet?"

Leafa started following her group, and she glued her eyes on Kirito next. Kirito, who was pretending to stare ahead, even though she knew he had Sachi well within his sights.

"Hopefully this mission is over with soon. I can't have anything getting in my way when I tell the truth to him. The entire truth this time. No more holding back. And once he knows who I feel, then...then..."

---

– X-Y-X –

---

Undine Council Hall, Parcellus Castle

"My lord, the Sylphs' strategy is a terrible one! I urge you to reconsider!"

"Our one shot at dismantling the Salamander-Imp alliance rests on the shoulders of a group of newbies? Preposterous!"

"Did you even get a chance to vet these people?! We don't know what kind of stakes they actually have in this conflict!"

"Not to mention we don't know if those are alt accounts!"

"Alt accounts! My lord, did that thought ever cross your mind when you were presented with this so-called strategy?!"

The first thing that Kirito heard, as soon as the burly Undine sergeant-at-arms shoved the doors open, was a cacophony of booming voices, each one of them hollering over the others in a nigh-unsuccessful attempt to assert itself. He followed the sergeant-at-arms into the gigantic, circular room, which resembled a small coliseum straight out of ancient Rome; it boasted an open roof that allowed golden sunlight to shine inside, illuminating its gleaming interior in a gloriously radiant manner. Rows of Undine spectators closely observed the proceedings, towering above all else in their sandy-brown seats. Stationed magnificently a the center of the room was a circular table of gold, upon which five Undines sat.

But Kirito's metallic-black eyes were immediately drawn to one of the Undines in particular.

"I hear your concerns, Councilmembers," Fjord responded, his eyes calmly closed. "But, rest assured, I have my utmost faith in these new players and their integrity. I have no doubt in my mind that any of them are compromised in any way, shape, or form."

"And what exactly makes them so trustworthy in the eyes of our Lord?" one of the Councilmembers asked harshly.

"My lord," another Councilmember said in a cooler voice, "I maintain my loyalty to you, as do my constituents. But know that there is always a line drawn in the sand. The election is in a couple of weeks' time."

"If this strategy fails to yield any fruit," added a third, older Councilmember, "then you could expect to feel the people's wrath through their votes."

Fjord cracked a small smile of confidence. "I haven't incurred the wrath of my fellow Undines during my tenure, and I am not intent on doing so now." Then, he opened his eyes and saw Kirito's group approaching. "Ahhhh, there you all are. My dear Councilmembers, you may put your fears to rest now. Our brave group of volunteers have presented themselves to us, just as promised."

The four other Undines at the circular table glared at Kirito and the others, causing the Spriggan to freeze up. For a brief moment, he was reminded of the time he was before Heathcliff and the other high-ranking KoB commanders.

"I wonder if one of these Councilmembers will even challenge me to a duel to prove our worth," he thought with a small, nervous smile.

"Quite a diverse group of players we've got here today," one of the Councilmembers said. "A Salamander, a Leprechaun, a Gnome, and a Spriggan. Four races that normally don't mix well together. Although..." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "I think the phrase was: 'Theatricality and deception are powerful agents to the uninitiated.'"

All of a sudden, Sachi stepped forward. "Permission to speak, members of the Council?"

"Very well, Sachi," the oldest of the quartet replied with a dismissive wave. "But do make it swift."

Kirito turned towards Sachi and noticed how her fair lips were tightly pursed at first. But then, all traces of hesitance and discomfort vanished in an instant as she began addressing the Council.

"This group just wants to play ALO and have fun. They have no investment in the Grand Quest, or the conflicts between the nine races. They told me just as much. And they've turned to me, Sinon, Leafa, and Recon for help in finding the last member of their party. We felt that it would be wrong to turn a blind eye to their troubles just because they don't belong to the same races of ours, just because they don't fit our notions of how we should achieve the Grand Quest. And, to tell you the truth, Councilmembers, the fact that they've got no motives beyond finding their friend and playing ALO just for fun makes them more than qualified to help us!"

"You sound very confident in this group's trustworthiness, Sachi," a Councilmember replied with a suspicious stare. "Are you sure they aren't just deceiving you? You've just met them, after all."

"Well, I feel like I've known them my whole life by this point, Councilmember!"

Her voice continued to echo in the chamber, trying to leave a lasting impression upon its inhabitants. Other than, silence reigned upon them all.

...

...

...

...

...

"Quite...a bold statement to make, Sachi..." the youngest Councilmember said in a slow, hesitant voice.

Fjord quickly stepped in, turning towards the Council with renewed confidence. "What Sachi means to say is that she has sympathized with their struggles, given she was new to the game herself, no more than eight months ago. And now, she is one of the Undines' most reliable warriors. I think we can take her word for it when she says this group can be trusted with infiltrating Scionus."

"She may have grown quickly, my lord," another Councilmember replied, "but that doesn't mean her word constitutes the final say in this argument. There are many other factors to consider, like what we just discussed."

"Well, for what it's worth, I've given Sachi and her party the tenable responsibility of watching over these new players. To make sure they don't get off-track and jeopardize the mission. And I will maintain a constant line of communication with them, so that I don't stay in the dark on the operation myself. They will be instructed to provide constant updates to me. And..."

Fjord briefly paused and gave Kirito, Sachi, and the others a knowing glance. Kirito and Sachi both stared back at him in perplexity, simultaneously wondering what he had in mind to convince the Council.

"If the Council is so inclined, they are free to appoint someone to help Sachi and her party watch over these new players. Rest assured, there will be no objection from me or them."

"Wait, what?!" exclaimed Sachi.

"We're gonna be getting a babysitter?" Klein moaned in disbelief.

Fjord shot the group another glance, which suppressed further protests from them. As for the Council, they looked at one another and started whispering to each other. Kirito slowly narrowed his eyelids in disappointment when he noticed them nodding at one another in agreement.

"Well, that's just great," he thought grimly. "This mission of ours just got a whole lot harder..."

---

The Undine sergeant-at-arms shoved the doors open again, thereby allowing Kirito's group to walk out of the Council Hall and into the hallway outside. Fjord trailed behind them, an innocent smile plastered on his face while his mantle fluttered softly in the air.

"Well," the Undine Lord said, "that was the first tiebreaking vote I ever cast as a part of my position! You learn something new every day!"

"Heh, yeah?" Klein asked derisively. "Well, I learned something new too and that's to never trust jerkass authority figures with capes ever again!" The Salamander then clutched his forehead. "GAH! After what happened with Heathcliff, I should have known better!"

Fjord briefly blinked at Klein's strange reference, just before Sachi spoke up as well.

"Lord F-" The female Undine caught herself. "Er, Fjord, I don't think have a second set of eyes watching over these guys is necessary. Not when my friends and I have already volunteered for the position."

"And just how long have you been holding on to that new strategy of yours?" Kirito asked suspiciously. "'Cause a heads-up in advance would've been nice."

"I'll be perfectly frank," Fjord replied, "I cooked it up on the way here. I know, I know, too last-minute of me. But hey, at least it convinced half of the Council to go along with it!" When he noticed the others glowering at him, the Lord clasped his hands in a begging posture. "Please just take the extra help from the Undines! I had to wing it a lot just so you guys could have as much breathing room as possible in this mission! I promise, once you guys find an opening into the enemy alliance that we could exploit, I'll make it worth your while!"

"Did you at least have someone in mind for your extra monitor?" asked Leafa.

"Why, indeed I did!" Fjord turned to Sachi. "You haven't met her before, but she's already proven herself to be of worthy value to the Undines. Her name's Philia."

"Philia?" Sachi repeated in surprise. "What's she gonna do for us?"

"She's an info broker. One of the best we've got. She's a Spriggan, perfect for reconnaissance." The Lord turned around with a swish of his cloak. "Which is exactly why her presence will help you infiltrate the Imp Territory. As a Spriggan, and a Renegade one at that, no one's gonna question her when she leads your friends inside. And if anyone asks, all she has to say is that your friends approached her for escort services. Given how Philia's got a bunch of spare time on her hands, well, I figured that she could use a mission to keep her occupied." He glanced over his shoulder and at Sachi. "You'll find her at a tavern in Hagencope, in the swath of Neutral Territory between our Territory and the Imps'. She already knows her mission and who to expect, so you shouldn't have to worry."

"Okay..." But Sachi couldn't help but pout at him. "Although I really wish you could've told us that strategy a lot sooner."

"Hey, what can I say?! After seeing your example, I thought improvisation would be the best course of action for me, Ms. There-Can-Be-No-Strength-Found-In-Loneliness. Heh heh heh."

Sachi blushed as intensely as a strawberry from embarrassment, and she emphasized her pout even further.

"Hrrrrrmmmmmph!"

Fjord could only laugh at her in earnest fun, and some of the others in Kirito's party couldn't help but join in. As for Kirito himself, he couldn't help but stand there and crack a nostalgic smile at the sight...

---

Near the Neutral Territories

"Are you sure you remember the right way to Hagencope, Leafa?"

"Of course I do, you idiot! Stop pestering me!"

This time, Leafa led the way, soaring across the sky while Kirito and the rest of his group trailed behind her. Recon tried to fly up to her side while maintaining his pace, though Kirito could tell that Leafa was the faster flyer of the two, easily. He couldn't help but crack a smile at the sight of Recon trying to catch up with his friend.

"Heh," he thought. "Reminds me of the time that lost puppy kept following Sugu everywhere after she fed it."

"But we haven't been there in a whiiiiile!" Recon protested.

"Well, obviously you haven't been reviewing Alfheim's maps lately!" spat Leafa. "Seriously, you've been playing the game the longest out of all of us, and you're the one acting like a newb!"

"I'm not a newb, Leafaaaaa!"

"Ahhh, jeez!" Liz snapped in exasperation. "Why don't you just get a frigging room, you two?!"

"G-Get a room?!" squeaked a blushing Leafa, who abruptly slowed down and gave the others a chance to catch up. "Wh-What the hell are you ta-talking about?!"

The Leprechaun suddenly smirked. "Well, given the back-and-forth banter I've been hearing from you two since the very moment we first met, I was thinking that you two are-"

"Wh-Whatever you were about to say, you can forget it, Liz, because we're NOT! Not at all! Nada! Zilch!"

Liz whistled mischievously. "Wow. Now that kind of a tone, I think you're just in-"

"GAH!" Leafa immediately started picking up the pace again. "I don't need to hear any of this crap from you!"

"But Liz is right, Leafa!"

At the sound of the tiny, adorable squeak of a declaration, Kirito looked down at his breast pocket and saw Yui had stuck her head out of it. She gave the female Sylph warrior an innocent smile.

"You used three synonyms to express your disagreement with Liz's hypothesis," the «Navigation Pixie» explained. "But if your strong, nervous tone is of any indication, it seems like you're not as uncomfortable with the idea of having Recon as a romantic partner as you-"

Kirito had to suppress a laugh at the sight of Leafa's reaction. Her face had already turned so red that he could mistake it for one of the poisoned berries he encountered on occasion in Aincrad.

"Wh-Wh-Wha?!" the female Sylph squealed. "NOOOOO! I-I-I don't WANT Recon as a romantic partner!"

Recon's eyes grew wide in dismay. "You...You don't...?"

Leafa also widened her eyes at his reaction. "I...I-I mean, I... AGH!"

She sped off in frustration, forcing Kirito and the others to pick up the pace. All the while, Yui continued smiling cheekily at Leafa's increasingly distant form.

"I think they're perfect for each other," she said. "Just like Mommy and Daddy." She turned her gaze to Kirito. "Don't you agree, Daddy?"

"Hm?" Kirito looked back down and smiled at her, vaguely taking notice of the small force that he had to apply to his lips in the process. "If you say so, Yui. If you say so."

Then, before he knew it, the Spriggan cast a glance towards Sachi. She was flying next to Sinon, and the two girls were talking. Intrigued, Kirito slowed down a little so he could fly over to their side.

"Alright now," he greeted teasingly. "What secrets are you two keeping from me?"

A millisecond later, he felt as if his heart was cleaved in half by Sinon's scathing glare. Then, the Cait Sith flew away from Kirito and Sachi, leaving the two of them by themselves while she caught up with Agil and Liz.

"Jeez." Kirito blinked at Sinon. "Is she still mad about me...y-you know...?"

"Yep..." Sachi replied stiffly. Then, she pouted at him with a soft blush dashed across her cheeks. "But you did invade her privacy, you know."

"H-Hey! How was I supposed to know she was still dressing up?"

She glared at him in suspicion. "You were standing in front of a changing booth, and you still went in without thinking of the possibility that someone could still be using it?"

"I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, Sachi. I was kinda zoned out when I went in. I didn't even know I walked into a changing booth until I saw Sinon!"

The Undine became slightly defensive. "So you did see Sinonon! In all of her...her..."

"It's not like I had much of a choice! Like I said, I was zoned out a bit!"

"I'm sorry, Sachi," Yui interjected from her adoptive father's pocket. "I should've been there to stop Daddy. I got curious and wanted to see a little of the market myself." She hung her head in shame. "He made a really big fool of himself."

"Ack!" Kirito nearly keeled over from the child's words. "Y-You too, Yui?!"

"W-Well..." Sachi smiled nostalgically. "At least that part about you didn't change, Kirito..."

"Huh?" He blinked in surprise. "What part?"

"The part where you charge headfirst into situations without thinking it through all the way first."

"Mm-hm!" Yui vocalized. "That does sound like what Daddy would do, after all!"

Kirito hung his limbs in the air, with his wings being the only thing that supporting his airborne body. "I feel like I'm being ganged up on..." he moaned in embarrassment.

"Oh!" Sachi's eyes then lit up in remembrance. "Since we're in the air and all, I was hoping you'd tell me the story of how you found Yui and became her father, Kirito."

The Spriggan's embarrassment vanished in an instant and was supplanted by confusion. "H-Huh? Well...I did say it was a bit of a long story-"

"I think we've got enough time until we reach Hagencope and find this Philia girl." The Undine flew slightly closer to him, which made him blush. "Come ooon, Kirito. I got to tell you the story of what I've been up to for these past two years. A snippet of what you were up to since we last saw each other shouldn't hurt one teeny, tiny bit."

"Go on, Daddy!" Yui cried encouragingly. "Tell her the story! She's your friend, after all! And you trust her! So I think she should know the whole story!"

Kirito looked at Yui and then back at Sachi. Both girls were looking back at him, with pregnant expectation written upon their faces. They almost looked like sisters in that moment. There was no doubt in the black swordsman's mind that any attempt to veer off of the topic or sidestep it would result in a whole new world of pain for him.

"Girls. You can just never win with them, no matter how hard you try..."

---

– X-Y-X –

---

Top of the World Tree

"Aaauuuggghhh... Ahhhhh, yesssss..."

Asuna struggled to maintain an unwavering, courageous expression on her face while Sugou's administrations continued and continued and continued. In the two months since she first found herself trapped in the large golden birdcage, she'd come to associate her captor's visits with unwelcome touching, to say the least. Nothing about Sugou's touch was gentle or caring about it. Even with his smooth, unblemished skin, it was a far cry from the rough, weathered sensation that she had given all of herself to long ago.

The same familiar sensation that she was thinking about right now, just like she would do for all of the other times when Sugou came in.

"Ohhhhh, Titania..." the false king cooed in a sickeningly sweet voice. "Your skin is so soft, so smooth, so perfect... Your body is like a sculpture come to life..."

"Only 'cause you made it that way, Sugou," Asuna spat bitterly.

Sugou could only chuckle. "And that adorably futile resistance that you give me is sooooo titillating... Oh, how I wish you could just surrender your very being to me right now, in this moment-"

She narrowed her eyes to slits. "Well, if you want me to love you, then you're just gonna have to make me, because I'll never, ever return what your deluded little mind would call affections."

Sugou's hands finally stopped. Asuna could feel how stiff he got from her taunt, and she pressed on, desperately looking for an opening.

"Well? I'm right, aren't I, Sugou? Huh?! You have the means to make me love you, so just get it over with already, damn it! Use that horrible, horrible technology of yours to make me change your mind about you! Use it to turn me into the lil' perfect slave that you've always wanted! But know this, until I am turned into your slave, I'm gonna use every ounce of energy that I've got left and then some to resist you and remind you how much of a lowly bastard you are! In my dying breath, I'll shout out to this world about what a pile of scum their so-called king really is! I will tell them- AGH!"

Sugou shoved her down on the bed upon which they were kneeling, and then he loomed over her, planted on all fours. A shiver ran down Asuna's spine as she beheld her captor's eyes, which were wide and bloodshot in their crazed look. The false king's body was trembling uncontrollably, trying his best to stay composed but failing the task by the minute. Even so, despite this fearsome demeanor that she was facing, Asuna remained as brave as she could be.

After all, two straight months of captivity, with Sugou being her sole source of human interaction, gave the former vice-commander an innate ability to memorize his mannerisms and his wants down to a tee.

Indeed, Sugou calmed down after some time passed, as expected. A wide, maniacal grin twisted his artificially handsome features.

"Ohhhhh, but what fun would that be?" he asked. "Why use technology that can fulfill my desires in seconds when all I've got in front of me is a challenge? A lovely challenge in the form of a beautiful girl, whose fierceness and tenacity need to be broken down...slowly and methodically..."

He started tracing his fingers across her scantily clad body, forcing Asuna to suppress shivers of disgust that threatened to travel up her entire being.

"Wow," she replied flatly yet tauntingly. "Refraining from using your precious illegal technology on me?" The corner of her lip twitched. "Who would've thought that Nobuyuki Sugou was actually born with one ball? I've always believed you had none. It's a shame that that ball of yours is as tiny as a green pea, though."

The chestnut-haired girl spotted a glimmer of unquenchable fury passing through Sugou's pupils at first. Then, he started to snicker in a high-pitched voice that sounded both comedic and terrifying, before he leaned his head in and kissed her left cheek. Once again, she had to stomach her disgust and contempt for her harasser.

"I'm going to have so much fun degrading and debasing you, my beautiful, beautiful Titania," he proclaimed lovingly. "In no time, I'm going to have you on your little knees, begging for me in all of my grandeur. I am going to make you forget that stupid, ungrateful boyfriend of yours, and I am going to show you what a true man is."

"I already know what a true man is, Sugou," Asuna growled. "And. It. Isn't. You. It never will be you."

"Heh, well at least I haven't run out on you, my darling." Sugou delivered one last peck on her cheek and one last grope before leaving the bed. "I could have all the women I want in the world, but I've set my sights on you and you only. You will thank me for it, eventually."

Asuna sat up on the bed and clutched at her nigh-exposed chest. "Mark my words, Sugou. As soon as I get out of here, you'll be the one on your little knees, begging for mercy and forgiveness. And I'll only give it to you as soon as I take my turn in degrading and debasing you."

This only served to amuse the false king. He immediately started cackling, which only inflamed Asuna's fury even more. Her mind started to swim with thoughts, with fantasies of how she would exact her vengeance upon her captor, and how she would avenge the honor of all the people he was experimenting on. But she steeled herself and remained seated on the bed despite Sugou's vulnerable position.

"Cool it, Asuna," she thought. "You'll see your opening soon enough. Just keep an eye out for anything at all..."

---

– X-Y-X –

---

Hagencope, Neutral Territory

Leafa landed on the edge of Hagencope, followed by the others. They landed one by one and immediately started to take in the sights of the neutral town.

"Oh, wooooow!" Liz exclaimed. "This place... It looks a lot like Lindarth!"

As soon as he straightened himself out, Kirito saw the resemblance. The town before him was the most medieval-looking out of all the locations he had been to in Alfheim, with a rural and tranquil atmosphere. Stone-paved walkways threaded through the town, along with waterways and canals. Quite a few buildings had waterwheels that were in active use. But unlike Lindarth, there were mountains in sight, mountains that signaled the border between this Neutral Territory and the Imp Territory.

The sight of those mountains reminded him of his objective, and he started strolling into the town.

"Alright, Sachi," he said. "Where's this Philia gal?"

"Fjord said we'd find him in a tavern here," the Undine replied as she quickly joined his side. "There's only two here, but the one that people like to go to when they're here is Yule."

"Yule?" Klein asked.

"Yeah. It's a place where people are allowed to perform on a stage, regardless of talent and background. Whenever Fjord requests the services of a spy or an info broker, the best place to meet in Hagencope would be there. He sends me there for meetings sometimes. I've just never met this Philia before."

"I see," said Kirito. He then gave Sachi an intrigued side-glance. "Sachi? Mind if I ask something?"

"Sure!" She looked at him expectantly. "What is it?"

"Just...how well do you know Fjord?"

"Fjord? He's...He's been there for me from the very beginning." The Undine smiled passionately. "When I first started out playing ALO with Sinon, he was one of the first players to offer me his support. And I learned a lot. Leafa and Recon may have taught me all about ALO's mechanics and Alfheim's society, but...Fjord was the one who taught me the ins and outs of Alfheim's political landscape."

The Spriggan raised an eyebrow in interest. "Did he now...?"

"Yes. I've had to protect him several times. Whether it's on diplomatic missions or excursions to allied Territories or even just so he could give a public speech somewhere, I've watched him lead the Undines through thick and thin. And I think I learned a couple of things from him too, on leadership."

"Hm..." Kirito slowly blinked. "Why? You wanna be Lord of the Undines someday?"

"What? Me, the Lord?" Sachi giggled in amusement. "No. No, I don't think I could handle leading an entire race of Fairies, let alone be diplomatic with eight other races. I may have grown a lot in ALO, but I don't think I can ever be that kind of person. But..." Her face softened. "It does sound interesting, being somebody that an entire populace can look up to, like Fjord or even Keita for that matter..."

"Yeah..." Kirito cracked a smile of assurance and nodded. "Yeah, that sounds pretty awesome. I'm sure Keita would have liked seeing you in a leadership role, though."

"You think so?"

"He's always wanted you to come out of your shell and be the person you were always meant to be. At least, that's what I think." With that, he started marching on ahead. "Anyway, let's get going. We're wasting enough time as it is. Let's see what this Yule place is like."

---

Yule, Hagencope

The first thing that Kirito heard upon stepping into the tavern was music. Terrible, horribly strung music. Along with a big cacophony of booing.

He glanced around the occupied interior and spotted the small but brightly lit stage. Upon it stood a large, brutish Gnome with tanned, tattooed skin that was currently flushed. He overdramatically swooned from side to side while singing in an unpleasantly loud, off-tune, slurred voice. Accentuating the terrible singing was the angered and irritated boos that came from the onlookers, some of which were even throwing cups at him. Even with the hostile and unwelcome reception that his singing got, the Gnome seemed to be oblivious to it all as he continued with his piece.

"Daddy!" Yui complained from Kirito's pocket. "Daddy, make that guy stop! His voice is hurting my ears!"

"A place where people are allowed to perform on a stage, regardless of talent and background," Liz deadpanned, reciting Sachi's earlier description. "Isn't that right?"

"W-Well, I didn't say everybody was gonna be good on that stage..." replied a nervous Sachi.

All of a sudden, Agil nudged the Undine's shoulder, catching her attention. "Yo, is that her, Sachi?" he asked.

"Huh?" Sachi followed the Gnome's finger and squinted for a moment. "Yeah... Yeah, I think it is."

Kirito followed Sachi's line of sight and spotted the counter, where several people were seated. At first, he couldn't make out anyone distinctive, especially since everyone there was busy drinking or trying to flirt with the NPC bartender. But as he swept his gaze through the counter, the Spriggan spotted someone else tucked away in a corner and sitting on a stool while they patiently waited for something. She was wearing a navy-blue cloak with a hood that was drawn over her face, obscuring it.

Sachi started walking towards this corner, closely followed by Sinon. With slightly pursed lips, Kirito also followed behind them, and he heard the others' footsteps behind him as well. As they approached the corner, it became clearer to Kirito that they found the person they were looking for.

"Well, well, well..." Philia said, her voice emerging ominously from the drawn hood. "If it isn't the Sapphire Shielder and the Archer of the West. I've been looking forward to this day..."

"Uhhhhh...th-thanks...?" Sachi replied hesitantly, while Sinon stiffened up. "It's...good to know we're appreciated..."

With that, Philia drew her hood back, revealing a young, fair face with chin-length black hair and blue eyes. She stepped forward, allowing the slightly dimmed tavern lights to bring out more of her physical features underneath her cloak. Her uniform consisted of a black tube-top that was cut off at her midriff, putting her slim belly on display; tight-fitting shorts that seemed a little too small for her, akin to Sinon's; and a pair of blue boots, one of which was smaller than the other. At first, when she revealed her face, it was wearing a deathly serious expression, which brought chills down Kirito's spine and made his fingers twitch.

Then, all feelings of hesitancy were swiftly assuaged when a light came over Philia's face, and the Spriggan girl beamed at Sachi and Sinon like an excited child.

"I've heard so much about you two!" Philia squealed. "I've always wanted to get the opportunity to talk with you two, so when Lord Fjord informed me of your mission and my participation, I just jumped at the chance!"

With a giddy, girlish giggle, the Spriggan took Sachi's hand in his left and Sinon's in his right, and she began animatedly shaking them. Kirito struggled to refrain from chuckling at Sachi's and Sinon's uncomfortable reactions.

"T-To be honest," finished Philia, "I-I've always been a...a huge fan of you two..."

"O-Oh!" Sachi exclaimed with a soft blush. "I-It's good to know we've got fans..."

Sinon did not say anything, instead keeping her lips pursed uncomfortably while Philia continued shaking her hand. This went on for about another minute until Kirito decided to step in, knowing it wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

"W-We're the, uh, the new players Fjord told you about," he said. "I'm Kirito, and these are Klein, Agil, and Liz."

He gestured to each of his friends; while Agil and Liz greeted Philia with a wave or a smile, Klein was closely eyeing the newcomer from head to toe, his interest piqued. Even so, Philia ignored him and beamed at the others next.

"Ah yes, the newbies looking for their lost friend!" she exclaimed. "Come, come, let's all sit down!"

She seated herself at one of the tables, but Kirito noticed that it was only big enough to fit four people, two on each side of the table. While maintaining her friendly smile, she patted the seat next to her.

"To anyone who'd like to sit by me," he said, "don't be shy!"

However, Kirito noticed that Philia was looking at Sachi and Sinon when he said those words. An uneasy feeling started to boil in his stomach, and it motivated him to quickly sit down beside the Spriggan before she could address either girl. He looked at them and saw the bright, thankful glimmer in Sinon's feline eyes while she and Sachi sat down on the opposite side of the table.

Then, she looked at Philia and saw a glimmer quickly passing by her eyes. He couldn't tell what it was, but with the way Philia's lips became slightly tightened, he knew he did not make a good first impression on her.

"Anyway," Philia said, sweeping her gaze across the entire group before allowing her sights to settle on Sachi and Sinon, "Lord Fjord says that you wish to get into the Imp Territory next door. To get insider info on the Salamander-Imp alliance under the guise of finding your Imp friend. What was this friend's name again?"

"U-Umbra," replied Kirito.

"Umbra... I see..." The female Spriggan cracked a joking smile. "Typical Imp name, but who am I to judge? Anyway, just fill me in on what you plan on doing, and I'll take care of it for you guys. No questions asked. And don't worry about sort of payment. Lord Fjord told me he'll have that front handled."

"So you can get us in there with no questions asked?" Agil asked.

Philia leaned back slightly, glancing at the Gnome. "I may be no Leprechaun, but I've established a reputation for being the middle man. And I have done my fair share of traveling to and from that part of Alfheim. I think I've left enough of a good impression there to have the people at the front gate to let me in."

"You think?" Kirito asked suspiciously.

Philia ignored him and looked back at Sachi and Sinon. "But to think that you two would be walking up to the front door of the enemy on your own, that...that takes a whole new level of courage to do that. Courage I don't have. I admire that about you two. Always striving to take what you want, whenever you want it, no matter what..."

"We-Well..." Sachi said while sheepishly rolling her shoulders up and down, "w-we didn't really have a...an actual plan on what Sinonon and I would be doing, so-"

"Sinonon?" Philia interrupted. Her pupils started to glitter to life, and it made Kirito break a sweat in discomfort. "Is that what you call the Archer of the West?"

"Y...Yes..." Sachi warmly looked at the uneasy Sinon. "She's my friend, after all."

"You...Y-You have a special nickname for your friend, the Archer of the West... So...So..." At this point, Philia's eyes were shining as brightly as disco balls. "So coooool!"

Her exclamation was louder than expected, and Kirito, Leafa, Klein, Agil, and Liz had to look over their shoulders to see if anyone else overheard it. Unfortunately, the entire tavern did, and their unhappy stares were glued onto the small booth the group was congregated around.

Klein promptly nudged Kirito's shoulder and whispered into his ear, "Yo, this gal is our ticket into the Imp Territory? She's definitely cute, but she might also be a little..."

He finished his sentence by making a birdlike whistling noise.

"I'm afraid so..." Kirito whispered back in a glum voice.

"Maaan... She's obviously a fangirl for Sachi and Sinon. I mean, I can't say I blame her, but I'm not that obsessive about them. She's gonna frigging drag us down into the mud, I can tell."

Kirito slowly glanced at Philia while she continued to fawn over Sachi and Sinon, both of whom could do nothing but just sit there and apprehensively accept her unconditional praises.

"Even so," the Spriggan whispered with narrowing eyes, "she's the only one with experience in getting into and out of all these Territories without a fuss. If the Imps see Sachi and her party with us, then they will get suspicious, and our cover will be blown. They're supposed to be the enemy, after all. We just have to..."

"We-Well...w-we didn't really have a...an actual plan on what Sinonon and I would be doing, so-"

Sachi's words suddenly sparked an idea in his mind, and he slapped a clenched fist into his palm with a smile of triumph.

"I got it!" he cried.

His exclamation caught the group's attention, and eight different heads turned towards him.

"Huh?" Sachi blinked in surprise. "Got what, Kirito?"

---

– X-Y-X –

---

The Dark Range, Imp Territory

"This it, everyone! The Dark Range!"

Philia's voice hollered over the howling rush of wind as Kirito's party made its descent from the sky. Surrounding them in all corners was a sprawling range of mountains with steep slopes, snow-coated precipices, and jagged peaks. After taking a brief moment to take in her new surroundings, Sachi turned towards Kirito.

"Hey, Kirito!" she called over the wind. "Are you sure this is going to work, Kirito?"

"Are ya kidding?" Kirito asked in response. "Remember what Fjord said to you back to Swilvane, Sachi! The Salamanders might be targeting you because of your strength and your weapon!"

Sachi nodded hesitantly. "Y-Yeah, b-but I'm not a strong player for nothing, you know! T-They're gonna have a hard time believing the story that you came up with..."

"Well, it's a good thing that Klein chose the Salamanders for his Fairy race, then! Oh, and speaking of your weapon..." He readjusted the straps that held Sachi's «Trident of Protection» in place. "This thing's a bit heavy on me! How the heck are you able to carry this thing around without straining a back muscle?!"

"Hmph!" Sachi teasingly pouted at him. "Says the guy who chose to buy the gigantic greatsword and carry it around like it's nothing!"

Kirito chuckled before lightly patting his breast pocket. "Remember, Yui, stay in there and don't speak! I don't want these Imps getting interested in you because you're a «Navigation Pixie»!"

"Okay, Daddy!" Yui's voice chirped from within the pocket.

By that point, the group landed one by one upon a rocky trail sidewinding through one of the lesser-steeped mountains. Sachi's blue eyes traced the trail's path and realized that it led up to the gaping mouth of a dark tunnel, which was being closed off by a gate.

A gate marked by the familiar purple symbol of the Imps.

"Come on, guys," Kirito announced. "Let's go. Remember your stories."

"You betcha!" Philia replied. "Just remember to let me do all the talking unless otherwise addressed, 'kay?"

With that, the male Spriggan led the party up the icy trail. Sachi glanced over her right shoulder at Sinon, who nodded at her in understanding. She then looked over her other shoulder at Leafa and Recon, both of whom gave her similar nods. She nodded back in acknowledgment, then she slightly lifted her arms, restrained by ruby-covered chains. With a heavy breath, the Undine followed Kirito and Philia, making sure her gait was sluggish and defeated.

The sounds of creaking, squeaking metal filled the air while Sachi, Sinon, Leafa, Recon, and Agil walked in a straight line. The others circled them, keeping a close eye on their movements while Klein wore a look so smug that it was laughable in its cheesiness. It didn't take the party long to reach the Imps' gateway, whereupon the half-dozen guards stationed by it took notice of their sudden arrivals.

"Halt!"

The stern voice stopped the party in its tracks. Sachi kept her head hung low, refusing to meet the guards' gazes as she heard Philia approach them. She could only use her peripheral vision to monitor Sinon's and Leafa's movements. But it wasn't as if they would be going anywhere just like her. She could only hope that none of them, or Recon for that matter, would do anything to break the façade that Kirito came up with.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the lil' Spriggan girl."

Sachi could hear the crunching of gravel as some of the guards approached their position. She moved her head up by an inch and saw Philia suddenly stiffening up in the face of the lead guard, who was taller and gruffer than the others.

"Good to see you too, Lync," the female Spriggan replied dryly. All traces of bubbliness and enthusiasm that were evident at Yule had completely dissipated in the face of these Imp guards and were replaced with an aloof coldness that would've made Sinon proud.

"Heh heh heh. Tell me, what brings you back to this domain, Spriggan? If you've got more treasure that you want to sell, then I'm afraid you are shit outta luck. Although the Colonel is still interested in taking you for...pleasures of the physical sort, if you know what I mean."

The other guards started to laugh and snort derisively, and in that moment, Sachi felt nothing but pity for Philia. Even as Philia started to tremble in anger, she held herself back as she continued to speak in as calm and collected of a voice as she possibly could.

"Well, here's a pleasure for you, Lync. I hear the Imps and the Salamanders are looking around these lands for someone important. Or...should I say, some very, very important people." She stepped aside, allowing Lync and his party to take a look at her companions. "I was recently contracted to escort this group to your Territory, and I just couldn't resist after I saw these prisoners."

"Hrrrrrmmmph..." Lync scanned the group and noticed Klein. "You. Salamander. Where's the rest of your party? You guys usually travel in a party of five or so."

Klein rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, I lost my teammates during my fight with these five." He pointed his chin at Sachi, Sinon, Leafa, Recon, and Agil. "But I was able to restrain them with my, er, m-magic and take them under my wing, so to speak." He then pointed at Kirito, Liz, and Philia. "With their help, of course."

Sachi could see Lync eyeing Agil disinterestedly. Then, when he laid his eyes upon her, he could barely restrain a gasp of stunned delight. He passed Philia, almost shouldering her aside, and roughly grabbed Sachi's chin so he could raise her head and look straight into her eyes. At the corner of her eye, she could see Kirito struggling to keep an adverse reaction at bay, while she could hear Sinon squirming rather uncomfortably behind her.

"My, my..." the guard said, a wicked grin twisting his chubby, purple-dashed face. "The Sapphire Shielder. What a rather unexpected surprise." Then, he noticed Sinon, Leafa, and Recon. "And her infamous party-mates. Including the Archer of the West herself. Truly unexpected, truly, and yet a most welcome development. To have this party before us in chains is quite an astounding feat, Salamander..." Lync looked back at Klein. "And what about this Gnome here?"

"Ah, he stepped in and tried to put a stop to my little detainment effort," Klein replied. "So I had to take him in too. I am sure the Imps would love to get some info from him about the Gnomes' latest investment in the Grand Quest."

"I see..." Lync smirked triumphantly at the quintet. "Yes, yes, I'm sure Lieutenant Thystos would love to hear what these five have to say for themselves, not to mention the Salamanders..." He then directed his attention towards Kirito and Liz. "And what about you two? What's your interest in bringing them in?"

"We helped take these five down and bring them over to you guys," Kirito replied with a haughty, overconfident smile.

"You two? A Leprechaun and another..." A nasty look of disapproval formed in Lync's facial features. "Spriggan?"

Kirito took the insult in stride as he coolly replied, "Listen, I may be no expert on what's going on between the Imps and them. But. Given what I heard about them, I'm pretty sure there's some...fair compensation for all of the trouble that my partner and I had to go through to keep them restrained like this."

"Y-Yeah!" Liz cried in agreement. "I want my payday! Pr-Pronto!"

"Hmmmm..." The guard wrinkled his brow as he stared down the male Spriggan. "We'll let the lieutenant decide that. In the meantime..." He beckoned him over with a crook of his fingers. "Hand their weapons over."

Kirito, Klein, Liz, and Philia handed over Sachi's trident, Sinon's bow and quiver, Leafa's katana, and Recon's daggers to him. Sachi flinched when she saw a smirking Lync equip the «Trident of Protection» in his inventory with the others.

"Excellent..." The captain looked over his shoulder and hollered, "NOW OPEN UP THE GATE, MEN!"

His colleagues obliged, and two of them pulled opposing levers simultaneously. The purple Imp insignia glowed, followed by the sound of purple flames lighting up the row of small lanterns that hung from the top of the gateway. With a groan, the gates slowly opened up, revealing the dark, winding tunnel that they obstructed.

"Let's move," Lync ordered. "Graft, you're in command until I return. Grem and Wacket, you come with me. We're going to be showing our new guests the hospitality of the Imps."

With that, the three burly Imps led the way, guiding the others across the gateway and into the increasingly dark tunnel. Sachi looked behind her and watched as the remaining guards began to slowly close the gate. The darkness that reigned in the tunnel was starting to take back control and consume them.

"For once, Philia," Lync said, his voice echoing across the snaking chamber, "you have provided the Imps with something useful. Lieutenant Thystos will be most pleased by this development."

"Ohhh, yes," Philia replied with a devious grin, just as the darkness started to come over her. "I'm sure he will."

"Hm..." After giving the Renegade Spriggan a final scowl, the head guard aimed his hand at the group and chanted, "Oss náða nótt lysa auga."

As soon as Lync completed his chant, his hand emitted a wave of gray light that spread in all directions and covered the entire group. In a matter of seconds, an artificial light started to occupy the tunnel and consume the naturally darkness, warding it off until everyone was able to distinctly see their surroundings.

"Oh, whoa!" Klein cried. "Sweet! I didn't know you guys could do that!"

"Why, of course we can. We are Imps, after all. «Night Vision» is sort of a prerequisite for us to learn, even if it's Illusion Magic." Then, Lync slowly stared at the Salamander in suspicion. "You've never been down here before, have you?"

The Salamander stared back at him nervously. "H-Huh? N-No! Or, well, I-I mean, well, I-I mean I-I just thought-"

Kirito quickly stepped in. "Wh-What he meant to say is that he's never been assigned to go into Imp Territory."

Lync blinked in surprise. "I see..."

"That's why he hired me to escort him and his pals here, Lync," Philia explained with exasperation. "Yeesh. Did we switch roles or something since we last met?" He started to smirk again. "Am I the one providing useful stuff for the Imps now, while you're the one who's become the jester?"

"Hey, ya watch your mouth, Spriggan. Remember this, Lieutenant Thystos still relies on my word, not that of a Renegade who's got a history of offering nothing useful to the Imps. And just because you're offering up the Sapphire Shielder, the Archer of the West, and their friends up to us on a silver platter, it doesn't mean we're now in good graces. We must first wait and see what the lieutenant thinks about this development and chooses to do with it."

With that, Lync started marching on ahead, forcing the others to try and keep up with him. As they did, Sachi glanced at Philia and noticed her tightly clenched fists.

"Heh heh heh. Tell me, what brings you back to this domain, Spriggan? If you've got more treasure that you want to sell, then I'm afraid you are shit outta luck. Although the Colonel is still interested in taking you for...pleasures of the physical sort, if you know what I mean."

"No wonder Philia was willing to take this mission from Fjord," Sachi thought. "The Imps never treated her with respect."

"T-To be honest, I-I've always been a...a huge fan of you two..."

"I don't think anyone did before Fjord came along..."

---

Scionus

To Sachi, it felt like a half-hour had passed by the time the group stepped out of the tunnel and arrived at Scionus. Since the Imps were the Undines' enemy, she had never felt compelled to visit the Imp Territory and see what their capital city looked like. However, now that Scionus was in front of her, she felt absolutely awestruck despite the circumstances.

It strongly resembled a mining town like Legrue, being a brightly-lit settlement built within a giant underground chamber, with nothing above it but stalactite-coated earth. There were a number of skyscrapers that resembled stalagmites, along with smaller, archaic-looking structures that resembled mounds of rock and earth. But what truly fascinated Sachi about Scionus' appearance was the many stairways that snaked through the air. They began at various points of the chamber's walls, where there were tunnels similar to the one her party had walked through; and they ended on the ground, some of them after winding through the city. She could even see various players using some of those walkways now, after having used other entry-points in the Dark Range.

Even though she wanted to admire Scionus' appearance longer, Sachi's desire was short-lived when one of the other Imp guards roughly nudged her in the back with the butt of his spear.

"Move," he barked in a low voice.

She could do nothing but obey. So, she returned to the formation that she, Sinon, Leafa, Recon, and Agil had set up and followed Kirito, Philia, Liz, and Lync into the city.

"I can't believe it," Leafa whispered. "We're actually in Scionus..."

"It looks amazing!" Recon breathed out. "If only those dumb Imps weren't aligned with the Salamand- OOF!"

"I heard that," the third Imp guard grunted while flexing his fingers.

As the group traveled deeper and deeper into Scionus, Sachi could feel the eyes of the Imp populace on her. She looked around, watching as players whispered to one another.

"Is that who I think it is?"

"Yeah! It's the Sapphire Shielder! The girl who's been kicking our asses for the Undines lately!"

"And I see the Archer of the West with her! Damn, that's unbelievable!"

"Did they really get captured? How the hell would that have happened?"

"I wonder if this is some elaborate infiltration operation or something..."

The Undine quickly averted her gaze from them and kept her eyes trained on Kirito and Lync instead.

"So, you two wish to be paid for assisting in those captures, eh?" Lync asked, looking over his shoulder at Kirito and Liz.

Kirito could only give him an arrogant smile. "Why else do you think we stayed around this long? For the sightseeing? For the photo-ops?"

"Well, you referred to her as your 'partner'." The Imp pointed at Liz. "I mean, a Leprechaun and a Spriggan. A pretty odd combination if you ask me."

"We're not concerned about the alliances between the Fairy races and all that other crap. We don't even care about which two races look good with one another and which ones don't. Each of us possesses a particular set of skills that the other one doesn't, and it makes us compatible that way. Good compatibility equals good teamwork, and good teamwork equals greater efficiency. Capieche?"

Sachi couldn't help but notice how Liz blushed at Kirito's explanation about compatibility. But she didn't have any time to dwell on it, for Lync spoke up again.

"Hrmph, so the two of you are Renegades." The lead guardsman glared at Philia. "Just like her."

The Spriggan gave him a casual shrug of nonchalance. "If you wanna put it like that, then yeah. But if there's going to be any problems because of that, just know that a couple of Renegades helped you deliver your enemy's strongest and most valuable assets."

Lync narrowed his eyes to menacing slits. "Well then, you'd better hope that Lieutenant Thystos has more liberal views of Renegades. For your sake, and that of your partner's."

The sound of the implicit threat sent chills running through the so-called captives.

"Aw, man," Recon moaned in a low, exasperated whisper. "Wh-Wh-Why'd K-Kirito h-have to go a-and say stuff like that? N-N-Now they're Re-Renegades i-in the Imps' eyes-"

"Calm down, Recon," Leafa groaned back. "It's not over yet. As long as the Imps don't sense a trap, then we're good."

"Plus," Agil added, "they ain't gonna pass up the chance of you guys in captivity. Renegade or not, they gonna take us in like we're some prized catch."

But Sachi wasn't concerned about Lync's distrust of Renegade players. Instead, she asked, "Hey, guys? Have you noticed how he seems to always defer to Lieutenant Thystos's authority? Not Lord Mauve's?"

"I noticed it too," Sinon replied with narrowed eyes.

"S-So?" asked Recon. "Wh-Wh-What's that got to do with anything?"

"Maybe this Thystos guy's just their first point of contact, that's all," Agil replied. "I mean, that Fjord guy did say that this Lord Mauve gal's been a shut-in since she got elected, right?"

"Maybe that's true," Sachi said while focusing on ahead. "Maybe so, but every Lord has a responsibility to lead their Fairy race. Through thick and thin, no matter what the outcome, all nine Lords are expected to see their race's progress in the Grand Quest through. Every Lord knows what they've signed up for. That's why they run for election in the first place. If they can't bear the burden of leading their race on their shoulders, then they would've been kicked out a long time ago."

"Huh." Leafa blinked at Sachi in surprise. "You sound like you've been thinking about a Lord's responsibilities for a while. Why? Are you planning on running someday, Sachi?"

"Yeah, that sounds pretty awesome. I'm sure Keita would have liked seeing you in a leadership role, though."

Sachi blushed in embarrassment upon recalling Kirito's words. "N-No! I-I mean...I-I don't know! I-It's just interesting to me!" She then shook her head. "A-Anyway, back to the matter at hand, I simply find it hard to believe Mauve's been the Imp Lord for this long while being such a shut-in that no one even remembers what her name is! And not when she's the most unpopular Lord in all of Alfheim!"

"You think there's something else going on?" Sinon asked. "Something in Scionus Castle that no one's privy to, even the other Imps themselves?"

"Well..." Sachi narrowed her blue eyes at the structure that was ahead of the group, the tallest and mightiest stalagmite of Scionus. "Either way, we're about to find out soon enough. Act natural, guys."

---

– X-Y-X –

---

Scionus Castle

Kirito stopped the moment Lync raised his hand as a gesture. He watched as the lead guardsman approached the pair of sentries stationed by the castle's door. All the while, he used his peripheral vision to monitor even the subtlest and most insignificant movements. He could see Philia rubbing her hands together like a conniving villain, while Liz seemed to be zoned out and in her own little world for some reason.

"Captain Lync," one of the sentries greeted politely.

"What brings you here?" the other sentry asked.

"We're here to see Thystos," Lync replied. "A new development has just unfolded, one that could bring the Imps and the Salamanders back on equal standing."

The sentries peered over the guard's shoulder and saw the five captives. One of them nearly dropped his lance in shock.

"N-No way! I-Is that-?!"

"I-It's gotta be! B-But, h-how could it-?!"

"Don't get your panties in a bunch, fellas," Lync interrupted dryly. "I wish to seek an audience with Thystos at once."

"R-Right away, sir!"

"Y-You have a pleasant day, s-sir!"

The two sentries quickly stepped aside, allowing Lync to lead the group towards the front doorway. He planted his beefy palms on the doors and used them to shove the obstructions open, revealing a slightly shadowy lobby occupied only by a dozen or so Imp soldiers. The only sources of light were old-fashioned chandeliers and wall-mounted candles, all of which were shining purple flames.

The group approached a column, which had two different stairways constricting it to form the shape of a double helix. As they neared the double stairway, Kirito overheard whispers directed at Sachi and Sinon. He already heard such whispers when they were outside, but with the voices echoing across the lobby, he could make out more of what was being said.

"That's them! The Sapphire Shielder and the Archer of the West!"

"They're supposed to be pretty tough! What the heck happened?"

"Look at that, looks like a couple of Spriggans and a Leprechaun helped take 'em down."

"Sounds suspicious, if you ask me."

"Well, whatever's happening here, Thystos will figure it out. They don't call him the Prescient One, after all."

"The Prescient One?" Kirito asked in his mind. "Crap, that doesn't sound good."

"Thystos's office is on the fifth floor," Lync announced. "It's a bit of a walk, but given who we're transporting..." He glared at Sachi, Sinon, Leafa, and Recon with a derisive smirk. "I think it'll be worth the foot-aches. He'll be the one to take the Sapphire Shielder and-"

"Wait, hold up there," Kirito interrupted coldly. "Last I checked, Thystos wasn't the Imp Lord's name."

"Hm?" The guard quirked an eyebrow. "What, you wanna see Lord Mauve?"

The other two Imp guards snickered, and their snickers didn't go unnoticed by the other Imps in the lobby. But Kirito was not swayed by the reaction.

"I'll be perfectly honest," the Spriggan said, "we came all this way, with this very precious cargo, to see Lord Mauve. And I'll be damned if we leave this castle without seeing even one hair of hers."

"Unfortunately for you, Renegade Spriggan," Lync replied nastily, "Lord Mauve's appointments are all booked through the rest of the week."

"Then unbook them, because we're not leaving until we present our little find to Mauve herself."

Lync narrowed his eyes. "You sound...particularly enthusiastic in meeting her. What the hell is this little BS? Are you here to assassinate her or something?"

"Firstly, no, not at all. Secondly, from what I heard, something like that would actually be good news around these parts, so I don't get why you're being a little overprotective all of a sudden."

Lync took a few steps closer to Kirito. "Many of us may not see eye to eye with her, myself included, but it's still my duty to protect her from any and all danger. As long as the Imp race demands it, she's still our Lord. And now that a couple of third-rate Renegades are suddenly interested in her, I must ask you this: why the enthusiasm in seeing her when Thystos is the authority to go to?"

"Simple!" Kirito put his hands on his hips and took on a posture that exuded haughty overconfidence. "For the clout!"

Lync blinked slowly. "For...the clout...?"

"Well, yeah! My partner and I have been in this business for only a short time, but to get the praises of a Lord, man, that will be something to tell to prospective clients! And who wouldn't want the services of people commended by a Lord?"

"Hrrrrrmmmmm..." The lead guard looked down at Kirito, his brow furrowed in suspicion. "You...raise an intriguing point, Spriggan..." He reluctantly turned around and started walking up one of the stairways. "But we'll see what Thystos has to say about that."

Undaunted, Kirito followed the Imp up the steps. Sachi could sense an aura of arrogance coming from each step he took.

"If you insist," he said. "But just so you know, my partner and I won't be leaving without our clout. So you can expect us to be here for a while. If you've got a tea party date with your guards back there, I suggest you'd hurry this up."

Lync gritted his teeth. "Tch. You know, you're starting to sound like a pain in the ass, you Renegade Spriggan."

Meanwhile, Sachi couldn't help but gawk at Kirito as she followed him. "Oh, wow," she thought. "I don't know whether to balk or to laugh at Kirito's attitude! He never acted this way whenever he was with the Moonlit Black Cats! He was more reserved and kind. S-Sure, he was a bit of a tease too, but not at this level! Even if he's faking it, it sounds like he's got a lot of experience using that sort of attitude toward people..."

All of a sudden, the Undine heard a quiet but cheery, feminine giggle in front of her. Her eyes glided toward Liz, who was covering her mouth with her palms.

"Huh. I guess Liz has had firsthand experience with that sort of attitude from Kirito too..." She looked back at Kirito and hardened her face. "Well, if it helps with us getting to Lord Mauve, then I'm all in for it! I just hope Kirito knows what he is doing and doesn't overdo it. We can't leave absolutely everything to chance!"

---

– X-Y-X –

---

As soon as she felt like her bout of giggling had died down, Liz lowered her palms and stared at Kirito's back fondly.

"Once a pain in the ass, always a pain in the ass. But hey, that's the Kirito I know and l..."

For a split-second, she found herself back in her old blacksmith shop, staring at Asuna while she gave the oblivious Kirito a certain look, a look she could only envy and covet.

"Okay, calm down, Liz. Calm down." The Leprechaun lightly slapped her cheeks. "And focus up. You gotta get over those silly, childish feelings and see the bigger picture. Asuna's counting on you."

---

– X-Y-X –

---

"Alright, here we are."

The two armored Imp guards stood aside, allowing Lync to open up the set of fifth-floor doors and step through it. Kirito followed Lync through the doorway, only to be surprised when he was greeted with the sight of a small dungeon room lit by nothing but a few torches propped on the walls. He looked around with curiosity whilst the others followed him inside, and when he confirmed the absence of anyone who could help them, he glared at the Imp guardsman.

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked. "You said you'd take us to Thystos's office."

"I lied," Lync replied plainly before smirking at Kirito's reaction. "What? You really think I'm going to show you a location as sensitive as the personal office of the Imps' first lieutenant? Let alone MVPs like the Sapphire Shielder and the Archer of the West? Heh, I think not. I'm gonna go get Thystos, and he'll meet you all down here. Then you'll know whether you can have an audience with Lord Mauve or not. In the meantime, make yourselves at home. You're more than lucky to be in the hospitality of the Imps."

"Make yourselves at home?!" Kirito repeated.

The guardsman ignored him and looked at his two cohorts. "Grem, Wacket, the both of you help this Salamander throw the prisoners into the dungeon, and keep a close eye over them. Make sure none of them do anything stupid. And be on your toes, men. This is the Sapphire Shielder and the Archer of the West we're talking about here. If you three need any help, the guards are still outside the door."

"Yes, sir," one of the other Imps replied loyally.

"Ya betcha we'll keep a close eye on 'em!" the other Imp added before leering at Sachi and Sinon. "Especially those two, heh heh heh..."

"Uhhhhh, yeah," Klein commented hesitantly. "What he said."

Kirito could hear Sachi and Sinon quietly shivering in disgust, and their reactions only became much more obvious when the two Imps and Klein started guiding them, along with Leafa, Recon, and Agil, into the largest dungeon in the chamber. Even so, he did his best to ignore their reactions as he stomped up to Lync, who was about to make his leave. As he did, Kirito could feel Yui squirming uncomfortably in his breast pocket, the space between her and his heart tightening.

"Look, this isn't what we agreed to," he growled menacingly. "We didn't come all this way and go through all this trouble to chill out in a dungeon. We need to get this over with quickly, so bring us to Thystos, now!"

Kirito's sudden voice stopped Lync where he stood. The Imp then turned around and glowered down at the Spriggan, his yellowish eyes slowly narrowing into slits.

"You Renegades," he spat disapprovingly. "Always so damn shameless about your greed and vanity. Is the so-called clout of Lord Mauve's commendation that important to you?"

Kirito angrily opened his mouth to respond, but a hand latched itself onto his shoulder, stopping him. He looked over his shoulder and was met with the familiar sight of pink chin-length hair.

"You need to learn to relax, partner," Liz said teasingly. "Let me take over the negotiations from here."

The Spriggan blinked in incredulous awe. "Y-You? B-But Liz-"

But Liz had already committed herself to her strategy. She pranced away from Kirito and bent over slightly to look up at Lync, looking like a flirtatious schoolgirl in the process. And yet, her posture exuded great confidence and deliberation.

"Lync-kun?" she asked cheerfully. "Can I call you Lync-kun?"

"Hu-Huh?" At first, the Imp guard was caught off-guard by Liz's approach, but his scowl returned, more pronounced than before. "Whatever you've got to say, it will have the same effect as your partner's, which is absolutely none."

"Ohhhhh, forgive my partner!" Without warning, Liz shamelessly hugged Kirito's arm, causing him to awkwardly blush. "I know, he can be a handful at times! Believe me, I have to deal with him IRL in addition to in-game. But I think the two of us could work out some sort of agreement." She blinked thrice, making sure to bat her eyelashes at his direction. "Come ooooon, Lync-kun. I promise I'm not like those other greedy, vain Renegades like you described. I'd never squander the hospitality of the Imps."

This seemed to do the trick. Lync was trying hard to stay composed, but the blush was obvious on his cheeks. He cleared his throat and gestured Liz to follow him.

"V-Very well, then," he said in a slightly shaky voice. "The two of us can continue this lil' discussion outside. B-But know that any concessions from me will come at a high price! I'm still wary of introducing complete strangers to Lord Mauve's inner circle."

Liz saluted the Imp guard while giving him a cheeky grin. "You betcha, Lync-kun!"

With that, she followed him out of the room in a jolly prance while Kirito simply stood in place and watched them go with bewilderment. Then, before Lync could close the door behind them both, Liz took a discreet glance over her shoulder and playfully winked at the male Spriggan.

"Well," Grem or Wacket commented once the door closed, "she sure turned things around pretty quickly for the captain."

"Ehhh, I wouldn't blame him, though," Wacket or Grem replied. A dreamy smile was plastered onto his face as he shoved the last of the "captives" into the dungeon. "That girl is quite cute for a Leprechaun."

"Seriously?" The first guard sighed as he slammed the door shut and locked. "Of course you'd have the hots for her."

"The hell do ya mean?! You were ogling her too! Don't you dare deny it; I saw you!"

While the two guards started bickering, Kirito took this moment to swallow his concerns, pry his gaze away from the door that separated Liz from him and the others, and approach the dungeon. He was joined by Klein and Philia, both of whom would occasionally shoot glances at Grem and Wacket to monitor them. The Spriggan grabbed the metal bars that stood directly between him and his friends and peered inside.

"You guys alright?" he whispered.

"Yeah," Agil whispered back with a nod. "Heh, at least they didn't manhandle us or anything like that. Goes to show their so-called hospitality."

"Shouldn't we be worried about Liz?" Sachi asked, her blue eyes still transfixed on the closed door.

Kirito followed her gaze, thought about it for a moment, and then he shrugged. "Nah. Liz is a born businesswoman. I've got faith in her. If she can create something powerful like my «Dark Repulser», then she can handle a simple negotiation with someone like that Lync guy."

"Well, even if she convinces that douchebag to let us see the Imp Lord," Klein said, "what do we do then? We gotta find a way to convince her to find Umbra for us without leaving them behind."

He pointed at their so-called "captives", and the reality quickly started to sink in for Recon.

"Tha-That's right!" the male Sylph squealed. "Ohhh, whatever you do, please don't leave me behind! I-I've spent months and months building up my inventory! I can't let the Imps have it!"

"Shhhhh!" Leafa snapped quietly but harshly. "Quiet down, Recon! You'll blow our cover!"

"Relax," Kirito replied. "No one's leaving anybody behind."

"But we need to be careful and discreet about this whole thing," said Sinon. "One wrong move and the Imps will alert the Salamanders."

"And then it'll be all-out war!" whined Recon. "Not just between the two alliances either!"

Kirito cracked a small but confident smile. "It's alright. We're not gonna start a war either."

"Hmmmmm, you sound awfully cocky for a newb despite our current chances," Philia replied with a teasing smirk. "Just who're you trying to impress, huh?"

Kirito's face turned red. "N-Nobody!"

"That's not what your face is telling meeeee!" She nudged her fellow Spriggan in the elbow. "Don't worry, I know it must be hard to be surrounded by a bunch of cute girls."

Recon simply gave a small whine and a sheepish fidget of his stance.

"Look!" Kirito took a step away from Philia. "All that I'm focused on right now is meeting Lord Mauve and getting the info that I need, okay?"

"The info that you need?" Philia quirked an eyebrow in surprise. "Easy there, bud; you're not the only one looking for this Umbra person, you know."

"Huh?" The Spriggan paused before realizing his mistake. "I-I know! I know!"

"Hey, guys?" Leafa asked. "Can we get back on topic? I'd really like to know how we are gonna get on Lord Mauve's good side and get outta here in one piece without blowing our cover."

Kirito furrowed his brow in thought. "Well...the only way out of this is for you guys to escape."

"Escape?"

"Yeah. And we'll have to find a way to make it look like Klein, Liz, Philia, and I had nothing to do with it, obviously."

"I think I know what we can do, Kirito," Sachi replied. She then turned to Sinon, Leafa, Recon, and Agil. "I'm gonna have Liz give us an opening. And once she does, we'll get out of these chains and fight our way out."

"Fi-Fight our way out?" Recon stammered. "And then what?"

"We fly out of Scionus, as fast as we can. I think I remember the route we took here. We'll just retrace it, burst through that gate, and take shelter somewhere in the Dark Range once we get far enough..." The female Undine turned towards Kirito. "Kirito, I'm counting on you to hold the Imps back as discreetly as possible."

"You gotcha, Sachi," Kirito replied. "And once we collect our bounties, we will regroup with you at Yule and plan our next move."

"Sounds like a good plan," Agil commented.

"Ohhhhh, I don't know about this, you guys..." moaned Recon. "Wha-What if someone sees through us? Didn't someone downtown call this Thystos guy 'the Prescient One'?"

"Yeah, I thought I heard that part too," Kirito said. "Sachi, have you heard of any kind of Magic that could read the future or something along those lines?"

Sachi shook her head. "No, I haven't, Kirito. Prescience-related Magic sounds extremely overpowered and would've made the rounds on all the ALO forums."

"If no one's heard of it," Leafa added, "then it's gotta be some sort of Magic Spell that you obtain from a special quest. It would have to be a recent one too since only the Imps seem to be aware of it in passing. Like that quest where you could gain a higher-level Metamorphosis Spell."

"Alright," Kirito said. "Time for Plan B. Hey, Yui?"

The «Navigation Pixie» poked her head out from his pocket. "Yes, Daddy?" she whispered.

"Do you think you could look into all of the special Magic Spells that're currently available in ALO? Like, the ones that can be unlocked in special quests?"

"Sure thing, Daddy! You'll need to give me a moment, though! It's going to require some deep digging, and I don't want to attract the Cardinal System's attention!"

"Just try and get whatever info you can for us before we meet this Thystos guy."

"On it!"

With that, Yui dove back into Kirito's pocket. As soon as she did, Recon moaned in disappointment.

"Aw, great," the male Sylph said. "I can't believe you've got a walking, talking cheat-code dictionary flying around in that pocket and calling you 'Daddy'- AGH!"

Recon's head abruptly snapped forward, and he softly yelped in pain. Leafa heaved out an irritated sigh while rubbing her palm.

"For the last time, Recon," the female Sylph snarled quietly, "quiet down." Then, she glanced at the closed doorway and then the guards. "Hey, Ka...Kirito, how long do you think it'll take for Liz to talk to this Lync guy?"

Kirito shrugged and glanced at the doorway too. "Well, it depends on how stubborn he is. Or how vulnerable he is to her charms. But I think he's got his orders, so he's not gonna budge, at least not at first. Why?"

"While we wait, I think I'm gonna log out for a couple of minutes."

"W-Wait, why, Leafa?!" Recon squeaked. "If the Imps see that you've logged out during a critical time like this, then they might get suspicious!"

"He's got a good point," Sinon said. "You don't just log out in enemy territory, let alone while you're in captivity, Leafa."

"I've got you guys watching my back, don't I?" Then, Leafa took a deep breath and sighed. "It's seven o'clock in the real world. I've gotta...make some dinner for my family." When her explanation was met with concerned stares, she gave the others a small, awkward smile while averting her gaze from Kirito's. "Trust me, I won't be long. Give me five minutes."

"Well," replied Kirito, "if five minutes is all that it'll take, then I don't see the harm." He looked over his shoulder at Grem and Wacket. "We'll keep those guys busy, alright?"

"Yeah. Uh...t-thanks..." Leafa promptly turned away from Grem and Wacket's line of sight and summoned her menu with her chained hands. "Five minutes and nothing more, I promise."

"Gotcha." Kirito gave her a small, friendly grin. "See you then!"

A faint redness blossomed on the Sylph's cheeks, and she turned away from him, blonde bangs covering her eyes. With a final breath, she pressed the logout button and left everything that she knew.

---

– X-Y-X –

---

In the solitude of a dark, gloomy chamber, a lone person sat in a large throne, illuminated only by dim candlelight. They gazed out of the only window that they had, which overlooked the entire city of Scionus. Their purple eyes glimmered in an unclear emotion, and they then buried their face in their palms. A sigh pierced the overwhelming silence, only for this silence to return and consume the few audible sound-bytes so it could reign supreme again.

Eventually, after minutes and minutes and minutes of painful, unbroken silence, the figure parted their fingers slightly. It allowed them to absentmindedly peer through their hands and at the dark floor, as if there was something important on there, like a sign, but there was none.

Nothing to turn their predicament around.

"Well, Mauve," the figure thought, "I guess it's time for you to face facts..."

---

Next Time: Isosceles

---

A/N: As you all can see, the character that I was talking about in the opening Author's Note was none other than Philia! Why her, you may ask? Well, she wasn't my first choice. I had a couple of other options in mind, but I decided to waylay them to the side and pick Philia because...well, I'm about to venture into spoiler territory, so I think I'm going to save it for future chapters.

Anyway, the group is putting their rescue operation into action at long last, and we're getting some world-building for the Imps in the process! I've always thought that, outside of Yuuki, they were an underutilized Fairy race in the franchise, so I decided to give them more of a spotlight in this story. And don't worry, I do plan on exploring the other races as well in the story, so keep your fingers crossed for some more world-building later on!

And in the meantime, Sugou is continuing to mess with Asuna. Will there eventually be signs of breaking? Stay tuned to find out!

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

-RandomDSdevel-WCFaWF: I guess it goes to show that Sugou's standing in the world of business is more dependent on his influence and connections over his actual education. XP

Only one reviewer, huh? No worries. I understand if the monthly schedule is making people more susceptible to missing out on the newest updates. I've been spoiling you guys and gals too much with these first dozen or so chapters, anyway.

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