Chapter 14- Night With The Girls
November 2, 2056
So the Red King wishes to use him and Kisara in order to catch the elusive fifth Chrome Disaster? It must be bad if she was willing to go to such extreme lengths just to track them down in the real world. Marth had to commend the young Linker's bravery. She could have ended up in a much worse situation if Ashen Wolf or Purple Flare belonged to less than savory people.
Normally, Marth wouldn't even consider doing such requests, especially from a total stranger. Brain Burst was just a program to him after all. He was just using it to try to regain his memories. But this time, he felt drawn to this one. Perhaps it was because he felt pity towards Yuniko, or maybe it was because of the parallels between him and Chrome Disaster. They both have involvements with curses that lead to destruction and carnage. As the next Lord of Calamity, maybe he wanted to see the fate that would befall himself.
Wanting a second opinion, he turned to his Legion Master. "What do you think, Kuroba?"
A wry smile graced the Black King's lips. "Why Marth, are you actually taking an interest in something in Brain Burst that doesn't concern leveling up?" she said slowly. She then chuckled to herself from seeing him roll his eyes. "In all seriousness, I'm not opposed to it. Chrome Disaster is a threat to not just the Red Legion, but all of the Accelerated World. This is something we can't ignore."
"I agree with Kuroba," Kazuto added. "This Chrome Disaster needs to be stopped. But how do we handle him? Not even a King could beat him."
"In a one-on-one match, defeating Chrome Disaster with the Judgement Blow is nigh impossible if Yuniko's words are to be believed," Fuko explained. "However, there are more duel options besides one-on-one in Brain Burst."
"If you're referring to a team battle, there's no way Chrome Disaster will agree to that," Asuna voiced. "Unlike one-on-one duels, both team and battle royale duels require the consent of all participants. If he's getting ganged up on, he won't agree to fight."
That was a good point. Even if he was mad, Chrome Disaster should have some semblance of intelligence to be able to duel. Even an idiot wouldn't agree to a match where two Kings and others fight against you. It was way too unfair.
"That would be true in normal duels, but if Chrome Disaster were running wild in the Normal Duel Field, news of his return would have already spread," Kuroba answered in a calm voice. "Since this is the first we've heard about the fifth one, that means…" She turned her gaze to Yuniko, wanting to confirm her theory.
"Right." The Red King stuffed both hands in the pockets of her cut-off jeans, leaned her slim body back, and nodded decisively. "His hunting ground isn't the Normal Duel Field. It's the Unlimited Neutral Field."
Marth raised an eyebrow at that. He had never heard that term before. Before he could even ask his question, Takumu cried out sharply.
"That's too dangerous, Kuroba!" He stood up in protest, nearly knocking his chair to the ground before he continued with his argument. "Master and the others may be strong, but it's still too risky with our current battle array. Not to mention that you are confined by special rules. If another level 9 Burst Linker attacks and defeats you even once, you'll lose Brain Burst forever. And in the worst case scenario…"
Takumu glanced at Yuniko, who was standing to his right. He pressed a finger to his blue glasses and said, "As Master's servant, it's my duty to say this. In the worst case scenario, it's possible that this whole incident—tracking down Master and Lady Kisara in the real world, telling us about this supposed fifth Chrome Disaster, all of it—is a trap set by the Red King. It's possible that she's planning to lure you into the Unlimited Neutral Field, ambush you with a large force, and take your head."
"Welp, thanks for saying it, Cyan Pile." Yuniko was back in her tiny devil mode, her chin sticking out, and glaring at Takumu while keeping her hands confined her pockets. "You act all smart. Do your teammates call you 'Professor' or something?"
After looking somewhat injured for a brief time, Takumu managed to regain his composure. "I'm just saying, show us some proof, Red King," he replied. "We're just a Legion of six people with one of our members' avatar's being confined to a wheelchair. Shino's not even a Burst Linker yet. If you want us to dive into that field, you need some kind of collateral for making such a request."
Yuniko was about to respond, but Marth beat her to it. "Stand down, Takumu," he said passively. "We already have our collateral."
Looking dumbfounded, the male brunette stared wide-eyed the demon prince. "What do you mean, Master?"
Marth jerked his right hand around his virtual desktop before flicking it to the side. A semitransparent name tag appeared before him. It was Yuniko's, but it didn't just contain her name. It also had her address, which was some school and dorm in Nerima Ward.
"She gave me this last night," he explained, taking note of everyone's surprise, the only ones looking normal being Yuniko and Kisara. Even Kuroba and Fuko had no words. "She wanted to get in my good graces enough for me to actually arrange this meeting. In the Accelerated World, she's a King. However, in the real world, she's just a little girl in elementary school, completely powerless. If she betrayed us, we could easily track her down and make her pay."
Yuniko trembled a little from his cold tone. While she didn't know what Marth was, even she could tell that he was a dangerous person to cross. He seriously meant it that he would make her pay if she double-crossed him.
"I agree with my brother," Kisara voiced. "Scarlet Rain is in no position to threaten Nega Nebulus." She then cracked a wicked smile. "Besides, even without her name tag, we have ways of tracking people down. But this way, we have ways of keeping her…under control."
"You two are so creepy!" the Red King exclaimed in fear, her eyes as wide as dinner plates. "Why do you have to word it like that, big sister?!"
Shino let out an amused chuckle. "Once you touch the shadows of the Umbris family, you can never break free. You should have done a bit more research before revealing yourself, Scarlet Rain. They'll be watching you forever now. For your sake, I hope you don't make them want to hunt you down in the real world."
"That's not making me feel any better!"
Despite his tone, Marth was impressed by the Red King. It couldn't have been easy for her to be so willing to give her name tag with her real life address to a total stranger. There are a number of ways he could easily take advantage of it, none of which were even remotely pleasant, but they were things he would never do anyway because of his own moral code.
Still, at the end of the day, Brain Burst was just a program, a fighting game at that. He didn't understand why there were players like her so willing to sacrifice their real-life selves for this game, a world that wasn't real. Sure a Legion member breaking the nonaggression pact was definitely a problem, but it didn't seem like something that would need such measures to stop.
"I know what you're thinking, Marth," Kuroba suddenly spoke up, as if reading his mind. "Brain Burst is an addictive program. Once you have it, the real world just seems so weak in comparison, all because of this acceleration technology. If I told you how much time me, Fuko and potentially Yuniko spent in the Accelerated World, it would leave you breathless."
The look in the other veteran Linkers confirmed that she wasn't lying. With the acceleration function in mind, it was easy to assume that even Scarlet Rain, who has only been a Burst Linker for two and a half years, had at least three thousand hours of playtime in Brain Burst. Compared to other VRMMOs, that was nothing as there were hardcore players who would stay in full dive for ten hours to even an entire day.
Still, this topic reminded him of something about the virtual world, something he discussed long ago. Before he could grasp what it was, the memory faded just as quickly as it came. Oh well, he'll probably remember what it was by continuing to fight in the Accelerated World.
In all honesty, Marth's own playtime wasn't that high, perhaps more so than your average Burst Linker. This was largely because he had to dedicate parts of his day for training and doing missions in Eternus. It was a miracle he had any time for schoolwork. Surprisingly, it would seem Brain Burst accounted for his lifestyle as his level up requirements were much lower than normal, at least according to Kuroba. Kazuto, Asuna and Kisara also seemed to have that exception as well, which was how they all managed to level up so quickly. Naturally, no one outside of their friend group knew this as it would no doubt cause a huge controversy if it got out. Heck, Marth and Kirito got into a controversy when their unique skill, Dual Blades, got revealed during the battle against Gleam Eyes.
"Anyway," Kuroba continued. "This request also gives us some benefits." She turned her gaze to the Red King. "For the famous leader of Prominence to come to us with a serious request, I'm sure you must have prepared some bargaining points. Hm, like…not laying a hand on our modest Territory."
Oh, she was good. While Marth did understand the gravity of the situation with Chrome Disaster on the loose, he wasn't going to be risking his virtual neck for free. There had to be some benefit to incentivize him to actually cooperate (granted it had to be something he actually cared for to work). He worked under a similar mentality back when he ran the Harbingers during his days trapped in SAO. The Harbingers was a small guild, with it only containing nine members. It was rather infamous for doing the Assault Team's dirty work, mainly with apprehending criminal guilds who got too bold for their liking, in exchange for money or rare items. Another fact that made most of the player base leery to it was that it was run by two Beaters, which were naturally Marth and Kirito.
Neither one planned to form a guild, but it just kinda happened once they reached Floor 3, which was where the quest was to allow players to form guilds with each other. If Marth remembered right, it was Yuuki who suggested it as the original five of them had made a pretty good team. Eventually they would get three new members, Nautilus, Philia, and Argo (all of whom were still unaccountable in this era). Together, the nine of them made the Harbingers one of the strongest guilds in that floating castle, and arguably the most feared one. Heck, there were times where people would call Marth the "Demon Lord of Aincrad", an ironically fitting title given who he was. Naturally, like his "Dark Swordsman" persona, it was a title he'd rather distance himself from.
"Tch!" Clicking her tongue softly, oblivious to demon's thoughts, the Red King waved her right hand lightly. "Fine. If verbal confirmation is enough, then I'll tell my Legion to avoid Suginami for the time being."
"That's good enough for now."
"There is just one thing that needs clarification," Fuko spoke up. "Yuniko, you want to ambush Chrome Disaster in the Unlimited Neutral Field, correct? Surely you're aware that it's nearly impossible to target and confront someone there."
"First off, call me 'Niko' for short, but say it normally. Secondly, I won't make any trouble for you guys. I'll take responsibility and set the time and place. Right now, I'm planning for it to go down tomorrow evening."
That seemed to be enough for the two veteran members of the Black Legion as they both nodded in confirmation. They all decided that they would meet back here after school tomorrow and dive into the Unlimited Neutral Field. With that settled, and that it was getting dark outside, they broke the meeting and began to go their separate ways. Asuna and Kirito left together as the former was close to leveling up and only Linkers that were level 4 or above were allowed to enter the Unlimited Neutral Field. Kisara was the same way, but she wanted to duel on her own, so she ducked into her room with Yuna in her arms.
Takumu and Shino left as well, but neither planned anything involving Brain Burst for the rest of the day. They both had homework they needed to do and decided to study together. However, things started getting weird when Kuroba and Fuko prepared to head for their homes.
"I could walk you two home if you want," Marth offered as the two girls slipped on their outside shoes.
"Is that concern I hear in your voice, my prince?" the Black King said in a half-serious tone, to which the demon prince just simply rolled his eyes. "You don't have to worry. I'm used to getting home late thanks to my business with the student council. Then there's the training that Scathach has been giving me."
"No need to worry about me too," Fuko added. "Thanks to Scathach, I'm more than capable of defending myself from regular goons. However, if you want to tag along, Marth, I won't be against it."
Kuroba glared daggers at her old friend. She looked ready to retort before she noticed something behind Marth. "Hold it, Red! Are you seriously intending to stay here again tonight?" Her glare switched to the young King, who was about to head back into the living room to play more of Marth's video games.
"Duh. Too much of a hassle to go back home and stuff."
"If it's that much of a problem, then I can take you back myself," Marth said, unamused.
Niko flinched a little but quickly managed to recover. "I-it's just, I go to a boarding school. I have a three-day pass so even if I go back, there won't be any food for me to eat. Speaking of which, biiig brother, what should we have for dinner tonight?" Saying the last part in angel mode, she disappeared back into the living room.
"Wh-wha—" The fairy princess looked ready to explode, her fists clenched so tightly. Even Marth was taken aback a little. "That goodbye I said earlier, I take it back. I'm spending the night here too!"
With her declaration of war made, she once again removed her shoes, stomped down the hallway, and returned to the living room. Unfortunately for Marth, she wasn't the only one who changed her mind about leaving.
"My, my. If Kuroba is staying, then I will too," Fuko said with a dangerous smile. She too removed her shoes before making her way back into the apartment.
Meanwhile, Marth's brain just froze up. The only thought he managed to form was "What in Sinestra's name just happened?!"
Since there were going to be six people staying at the Umbris apartment (seven if you count Yuna), a grocery run was mandatory. Medusa decided to send Marth and Kuroba to the store to fetch stuff for dinner, but Yuniko and Fuko decided to tag along for their own personal reasons. As the only guy in the group, the Ashen Wolf player was chosen (forced) to push the basket while the girls browsed the various shelves for anything that looked appetizing.
"Any requests, Marth?" Fuko questioned as they looked around.
"Not really. I can eat mostly anything you put in front of me. Just don't expect me to prepare anything unless you want food poisoning."
Only the reincarnated fairies laughed at that, knowing just how atrocious the boy they both loved was at cooking. If it was something premade, like instant ramen, Marth had some relative success with it, but if he was making something from scratch, the end result was never anything good.
Something then caught the demon prince's eye. He let go of the basket and approached a nearby shelf, reaching for a package for a mix for beef stir-fry. That was always one of his favorite dishes as a kid. Seeing it now, he suddenly felt a huge craving for it.
"Is stir-fry okay with you three?" Marth suddenly questioned.
"Sure," Niko replied, although she might not have wanted to object since he did terrify her. He was serious about holding her accountable if she double-crossed the Black Legion after all.
"I have no complaints," Kuroba added.
"Me neither."
Satisfied with their replies, Marth gathered a variety of different stir-fry mixes, including one for beef. With their idea for dinner settled, they split into two groups, with Kuroba and Fuko heading for the produce section to gather a few vegetables to go with the stir-fry while Marth and Yuniko went to go get the meat.
As he gathered the necessary chicken and beef, he found his gaze turned to the Red King. He still didn't trust her by any means. There was something about this whole situation that still didn't add up. He understood that Chrome Disaster had to be stopped, the proof being that video of the fourth incident. Yuniko was hiding something. There was another reason driving her to stop the Burst Linker once known as Cherry Rook.
The way she talked about him, while brief, held a certain fondness. Were the two of them friends at one point? It was possible. Even though Brain Burst was a very harsh game, that doesn't prevent friendships from developing among the player base, especially if they were in the same Legion.
When it came to a person's past, Marth wasn't one to care for the details. Sure, he was critical of Kuroba's brazen act of beheading the previous Red King, Red Rider, but he didn't let it stop him from restarting their friendship from their previous lives as Zane and Celine. He even respected Fuko's privacy, despite knowing that she was keeping secrets from him. However, when it came to Yuniko, he was feeling a lot less lenient with her.
Maybe it was because he had a bad first experience with her as she did violate his and Kisara's private lives by tracking them down in the real world, or maybe it was his sister complex getting the better of him again. Either way, he wanted to know exactly why Scarlet Rain was so desperate to stop this fifth Chrome Disaster. Collecting his words, he took in a breath.
"Hey, Yuniko…" He never got a chance to finish his thought as he felt a figure bump into him from the side. Turning to ready a retort, his words caught in his throat as he saw who it was.
It was a beautiful girl with long white hair and dazzling golden eyes. She wore a blue school uniform, the same one from Umesato High School, but she had the addition of an aqua blue tie, a black ribbon in her hair, as well as a lovely pendant with a brilliant white gem on a thin silver chain. On the back of her neck was a magenta Neurolinker. She looked around eighteen years old. In the crook of her right arm was a small basket of various groceries.
Thinking back on it, he did remember that there were two new transfer students that had come earlier this week. Her beauty seemed dreamlike, ephemeral, definitely capable of giving Kuroba a challenge for the idol of Umesato (not that he would say so out loud). However, something about her felt strange, the air around her not feeling quite right. She had an air of elegance and grace about her, similar to that of a fairy, yet also had the menacing aura of a demon. Marth could tell right away that she wasn't human.
"I'm so sorry," the girl said quickly, her face looking somewhat panicked. "I should have been watching where I was going." She then locked eyes with the prince and uttered an audible gasp. "Wait, are you…"
The Ashen Wolf had to fight the urge to summon a projected Lunara. If this girl knew who he was and had come to attack him, then he was in the most awkward places to get into a fight. There were dozens of humans in the store, all obliviously going about their day. If this got violent, then he couldn't guarantee their safety. At most, he might be able to protect Yuniko, who was currently browsing through the different meats, unaware of the new tension in the air. Man did he wish he could get a message to Kuroba right now.
Choosing his words carefully, he said, "Do I know you?" He didn't sense any ill intent from the strange girl, but he still couldn't lower his guard. It could easily be a trick to launch an assassination attack.
Curiously, she didn't seem at all bothered by his cold tone, brushing it aside like leaves in the wind. "No, this our first meeting," she replied calmly, though there was a trace of formality in her manner of speech. "You are Marth Umbris, right? My name is Elie MacDowell. I think we share homeroom together at Umesato High School. It's a pleasure to meet you at last. I've heard a lot about you."
Marth narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What have you heard?"
"Just a bunch of rumors about you supposedly being a freak and stories about you getting into trouble with a few students. I distinctly recall one story where you nearly broke a guy's shoulder for making a lewd comment about your sister, Kisara. How interesting how that didn't result in you getting suspended."
"Guess I'm just lucky. What's it to you?"
"Oh, nothing. Hey, do you have a minute to talk? There's…" She suddenly stopped, likely getting a notification from her Neurolinker. "Sorry, I need to take this." She turned around before messing with her virtual interface using her left hand. It was highly likely that she was taking a direct call, but from who? "Hello? Oh, it's you. I was just about to call you. You won't believe who I—what? Father wants to speak with me? But—" Elie looked over her shoulder at the demon prince. She looked…hesitant, but Marth didn't know why. She then let out a heavy breath, her body language slouching. "Very well. I'll head back now." She then hung up before turning to face the male demon. "I'm sorry, but I have to be going. Is it possible for us to continue this talk after school tomorrow?"
Normally, Marth wouldn't even consider accepting a meeting with a girl he knew nothing about. Given the unusual air about this girl, she seemed doubly suspicious. However, for some reason Marth couldn't convince himself that she was an enemy. Something about her seemed familiar. Elie MacDowell. He had heard that name before, but where?
"Sorry, but I've got plans tomorrow. I'm free the day after though."
"I see. Here's my contact information then. I'll let you arrange the time and place. I hope to see you soon, Marth Umbris." After sending him her number, the mysterious Elie walked off, disappearing into the crowd of people.
"Wow, talk about a bombshell. Who was that girl?" That was Yuniko, who had decided now was the time to come back as she placed the different meats in the basket.
Marth took a moment to collect himself before turning in the opposite direction. "None of your business. Now let's go."
The Red King then smirked mischievously. "Oh I'm so telling Kuroba this. She'll pop a blood vessel that some girl was hitting on you."
"Whatever. But just so you know, she wasn't flirting with me. I would know if she was."
"Yeah, sure Mr. I'm-denser-than-the-sea-floor."
Dinner went by surprisingly well, with no issues save for a minor scuffle between the two Kings. Kisara and Medusa were able to whip up some good stir-fry, easily accommodating for everyone's tastes. Sadly, Yuna couldn't join in since Yuniko was staying with them. Granted, food wasn't necessarily something she needed since she was just a living doll. Still, she liked sharing meals with everyone as it made her feel more alive, like she was part of a family.
However, Marth couldn't deny that he was feeling somewhat nervous, a sensation he rarely felt nowadays. It was understandable why. In his apartment were four beautiful girls (two of which were his sisters), something that most guys could only dream about. If Klein was here, he'd probably pop a blood vessel out of jealousy. Naturally, the demon prince was capable of having self-control, after all, he was used to suppressing dangerous impulses thanks to his curse.
Still, it was especially hard to tune out the noises coming out of the bathroom. Kuroba and Fuko were currently taking a bath together, making odd comments to each other (something about their chest size) that Marth only caught because of his enhanced hearing. It made washing the dishes more difficult than it needed to be.
"You sure you don't want to join them?" Kisara asked with a fox-like grin. "Fuko did make the offer, after all."
It took everything he had to not break the plate he was holding. He struggled not to blush, but his younger sister managed to catch the traces of red on his cheeks. "N-not cool, Kisara," he stuttered out. "Besides, I'm sure Fuko was just teasing. She didn't mean anything by it."
That was what he rationalized for himself anyway. Given his bad experiences with girls in the past, he found it hard to believe anyone could have genuine feelings for him outside of familial love. After all, he was damaged, scarred from a life of persecution. It made it hard for him to trust anyone. Was there really anyone capable of loving him romantically, especially if they knew the truth about him? He couldn't take that risk. He was fine with ridicule and insults, that kind of mental pain was easy for him to bear, but a broken heart from that kind of rejection would absolutely destroy him.
"That's the point of love," Medusa spoke up without even looking from her place at the kitchen table, reading one of her many books. Like Kisara, she was always able to tell what he was thinking, showing how close they all were. "Yes, rejection is hard, but it's a part of life. Even you deserve a chance at happiness, little brother."
Marth paused with what he was doing and stared at his right palm. There was no denying that he truly cared for the few friends he had. However, there would come a point where he would have to tell them about his curse, and of the destiny he cannot avoid. Would they still call him a friend after learning his dark secret?
"Sorry, Sis, but I can't take that chance. If I suffer that much emotional trauma, it'll only bring about my dark fate that much quicker. People like me…are destined to be alone."
A silence was shared among the three siblings. Progress on how to undo the Calamity Curse was frustratingly slow. Even Rias couldn't find any clues on how to stop it. In order to remove a curse, you needed to know not just its nature, but also its origins. The nature of this curse was easy to understand since they had easy ways of analyzing it. However, when it came to its origins, that's where things got much more complicated. No one knew where the Calamity Curse came from. The first time it ever appeared was after the first Demon Lord of Wrath returned from a solo mission somewhere in Eternus, the details of which having since been lost to time.
Not even Sinestra, the Goddess of Darkness, could find out how it was created, and she was considered to be one of the most powerful gods among the Pantheon. Then there was the fact that some curses, like the Curse of the Living, could not be removed no matter what. However, the Calamity Curse was still very abnormal as it was tied to the Wrath Lord position, condemning the host to a terrible fate. If someone else became the Demon Lord of Wrath, then the curse would be transferred to them, freeing Marth from his fate.
However, that option was not available to him. There were only two ways for one to become a demon lord. To become a demon lord, they needed the right aptitude to be able to handle the divine power. This could be easily checked through a certain ritual or a certain relic. Anyway, the first method was that a new candidate takes the position of a dead demon lord through a special ritual and with Sinestra's approval, effectively replacing the previous lord. If no candidate emerges, then the previous demon lord will retain their position even if they reincarnate. That was how Marth even was the Wrath Lord in this era. The second method was more common. It involved the current demon lord to yield their position to the candidate, again through a special ritual and with the approval of their goddess, Lady Sinestra.
In case you haven't noticed, the common theme between both lines of succession for demon lords is that they both required the consent of Sinestra. However, the Goddess of Darkness has not been seen for seven millennia, not since the War of Light and Shadow ended. Without his mistress's approval, Marth cannot pass his position as the Wrath Lord to anyone, meaning that he was forced to bear the fate of becoming the dreaded Lord of Calamity.
He hated Lambert for doing this to him, but on one hand, he was (slightly) grateful for it. Sure, he would inevitably lose control of his power and become the bane of the world, but he could also use this power in his coming war with the Darkfallen while he still retained his sanity. This didn't mean that he would forgive his father for forcing him down this path. If given the choice, Marth would always choose to crush that man's soul in his hand and not even bat an eye to it.
"Brother," Kisara spoke softly, wrapping her arms around his chest from behind. "No matter what happens, even if you become the Lord of Calamity, I'll still stay by your side. You'll always be my big brother to me."
Marth couldn't help but smile faintly as he finished up with the last of the dishes. "Thank you. And I promise that I'll always protect you, even when I'll inevitably fall to madness." He meant every word. No matter what life threw at him, he will always protect his little sister. If that path would lead him to becoming a monster, then so be it.
They stayed like that for a few moments before they heard the bathroom door open. They soon separated and moved to the dining area in time to see Kuroba and Fuko stroll in. The Black King was wearing thin pink pajamas, something she had bought at the shopping center from earlier. Her hair was still a little damp. She seemed so defenseless, an impression he wouldn't have normally gotten in her usual black attire.
"D-don't stare at me like that," Kuroba squeaked out, her face red with embarrassment. "This was the only color they had in my size."
"Well, Marth, how do I look?" Fuko asked smugly. She was also wearing a pair of pajamas, only hers were a fitting sky blue, matching both her duel avatar and her eyes. However, it would seem that she had forgotten to fasten the top two buttons of her shirt as her cleavage was very much visible.
Fighting not to blush, Marth put his hands in his pockets and looked away. "Y-you both look fine." What was going on with him? He's never felt this nervous before. His heart was pounding against his chest. Could this be…no, it's probably just nerves getting the better of him.
"Wow," Medusa commented, finally looking up from her book, a sly grin plastered on her face. "It's rare to see Marth be so speechless. I think I like seeing this side of him."
"Me too," Kisara added, also grinning. Even Kuroba and Fuko seemed amused at seeing Marth like this, which made him feel even more embarrassed.
"Anyway," Marth finally said, regaining his composure. "Sleeping arrangements. I've been thinking and maybe we'll have Yuniko sleep on the couch while you girls can share Kisara and Mom's bedrooms. Does that sound alright with you all?"
"Sounds fine to me, but I have a better idea. How about Medusa, Yuna and I sleep in Mom's room, Niko in my room, while you, Kuroba and Fuko crash in your room?"
"What?!"
No, no, definitely not! Marth was not comfortable with that idea whatsoever. Just what was Kisara thinking? Was she trying to embarrass him and the veteran Linkers? If so, then judging by the blush on his and Kuroba's faces, she very well succeeded in that manner.
"No way," he protested. "Why do the three of us have to share a room together? We're just friends after all."
"Then that shouldn't be a problem," Kisara said innocently. "Besides, you've shared your room with Cynthia before whenever she's home. What's so different this time?"
"What?!" Kuroba cried out in disbelief.
Fuko, on the other hand, had a dangerous look on her face. "My, my, Marth. I didn't know you were into that. Just what do you do with your loyal servant?"
Marth couldn't help but groan as he slammed his palm into his forehead. "Whatever perverted idea you're thinking of right now couldn't be further from the truth. Cynthia's pretty much my daughter. Doing that kind of stuff to her is just wrong."
He says that now, but given how loyal the white demon-spider was to him, he wouldn't be surprised if she consented to more perverted orders if he gave them. Naturally, that was something he'd never do as he valued the trust and relationship they had together. Familiars can't disobey direct orders from their masters, so having a degree of trust between them was vital.
Anyway, sharing a bed with his familiar was different. They were pretty much family to each other. But sharing a bed with two girls, his female friends, that was on a whole other level that he wasn't quite ready to reach quite yet. Unfortunately for him, it would be taken out of his hands by the next few words.
"I-I'm fine with sharing a bed with you," Kuroba said slowly, her snow-white cheeks complimented by a blush of rosy red. "I-I trust you enough, Marth."
"As do I," Fuko said. She then winked at the demon prince. "Although, if you want to have some fun in the bedroom, I'm more than willing to play with you."
"What?!" both Marth and Kuroba exclaimed in shock, all while Kisara and Medusa burst into laughter at Sky Raker's apparent shamelessness.
"What? You do have video games in your room, right? What did you think I meant?"
Somehow, Marth doubted that video games were what she was talking about. Honestly, what was going on with Fuko? She's been acting very strangely since she reunited with Kuroba. Everything she says and does seems to be to get a rise out of the fairy princess, her former liege. He has tried to ask what was going on with her, but Fuko always feigned ignorance, pretending that nothing has changed.
It doesn't help a lot of her statements never failed to make Marth's pulse race. This strange feeling of nervousness and excitement. He once felt this way a long time ago…perhaps…in a different life.
"I-is that so?" he said slowly. Reluctantly, he relented, as it was clear that nothing he said would change their minds. "Alright. As long as you're both comfortable with it."
He then left to go take a shower himself. However, as he did so, he missed the wink that Kisara gave to the reincarnated fairies.
"Well that was easier than I expected," the demoness commented, smiling in triumph. "I expected Brother to put up more of a fight."
"I'd say we found his fatal flaw," the snake goddess added. "The flaw of all men. Pretty girls."
"D-don't be ridiculous," Kuroba passed off, crossing her arms over her rather modest chest. "Marth's not the type to fall for something like that. He was just being considerate."
"Or maybe he's planning to have some fun with us behind closed doors?" Fuko suggested, leaning into her old friend's side.
"Agh! That's not funny. Why are you always like this, Raker?!"
"Because you and Marth have the cutest reactions. Besides, he's much too dense to notice any form of subtle affection. I have to be bold to get him to notice my feelings."
Kuroba could only grumble in protest. She couldn't deny that there was some truth to those words. It took a life-and-death situation for Marth to realize her love for him. Sadly, due to the events that followed, he kinda forgot all about her confession. Luckily, she wasn't starting over from scratch as after he realized she was Celine and could be trusted, he started acting much more friendly towards her. A welcome relief for sure, but there was no denying that Fuko did have a head start over her because she had a two-year lead.
However, she was Black Lotus, the Black King and the Greatest Traitor in the Accelerated World. She fully intended to win this war for Marth's heart. Even if her rival was her dear friend, she would show no mercy.
"I hope you're ready to lose, Fuko," Kuroba said confidently. "Soon I'll finally have Marth to myself."
"We shall see, Kuroba."
"Uh, did I miss something?" Marth had just stepped out of the bathroom. He was now wearing ash-gray pajamas. His chest was currently bare, revealing his well-built muscles that came from harsh training. There wasn't a single blemish of skin anywhere in sight. In both the girls' minds, it was perfect as they were struggling to stay composed.
"N-no," Kuroba said hastily. "Nothing at all. Right Fuko?" She tossed a pleading look to the brunette, hoping she'd get the hint.
Thankfully the gods seemed to have granted her some mercy as the other fairy simply shook her head. "It was just girl stuff. Nothing you need to worry about," she said as he put on a long-sleeved gray sleep shirt.
"Really?" the Ashen Wolf player responded off-handedly, one eye-brow raised. "Well whatever. It's none of my business."
It was nearly eleven o'clock, so everyone decided to head for bed. Yuniko ended up crashing on the couch, having exhausted herself playing on Marth's Switch. Rather than move her to his younger sister's bedroom, he ended up draping a blanket over her. Like this, when she wasn't in some devil mode, Scarlet Rain looked rather adorable.
Satisfied, he went over to his room, where Kuroba and Fuko were waiting for him on his bed. Now, his room was moderately sized. It had a few bookshelves that had a variety of light novels and his game collection. He had a desk with a decently strong PC, a big TV on a long dresser with a PlayStation 4 hooked up to it. As for his bed, it was a queen-sized bed with a gray and black comforter, easily able to accommodate three teenagers.
That nervousness was back again. "Um, since Yuniko's not using Kisara's room, I can sleep there if you two want," he offered.
"It's fine," Kuroba replied, though despite her bravado, she seemed as nervous as him. "Besides, I'm pretty sure if you did that, Fuko would just sneak in after you fell asleep."
"I would never…Actually, yeah I would. But I'm sure you would do the same too, Celine."
"Oh this is going to be a long night," Marth thought to himself.
Reluctantly, he turned off the lights before joining the girls on the bed, the three of them all crawling under the covers. The very first thought that popped in the demon prince's head was "Hot". Turns out sharing a bed with two clingy girls on either side of him made the temperature under the covers skyrocket. Either that, or that was just him as neither Kuroba nor Fuko made any mention of this.
"Goodnight, Marth," the Black King muttered with closed eyes.
"Sweet dreams, my lord," Sky Raker murmured.
Somehow, they fell asleep almost instantly. Marth wished he could do the same, but his mind was racing too much. This whole deal really made him question the feelings stirring up in his heart, feelings that he thought he buried long ago. Suddenly a vision flashed in his mind. He was in a large bedroom with a rather regal bed that had silver drapes and blankets. It was alight with purple crystals, combined with small ornate windows that let in moonlight, giving a strangely comforting feeling. It was clear that this was Balduq, meaning that this was one of his memories from his first life as Zane.
He was dressed in a rather simple tunic and trousers. Leaning by his bedside in a black sheath was a familiar sword, Lunaris. He was prepared to fall asleep when he heard a sudden knock on his door.
"Enter."
The fine wooden door gently swung open and two familiar girls trotted in. It was Celine and Edna, but they had traded their combat attire for matching color nightgowns. It was unusual to see them up so late.
"Is something wrong?" Zane questioned. He could tell that they weren't imposters. Balduq had wards to prevent such magic from working within its walls.
"No, it's just that…" Celine stopped herself. Her face looked rather red, but it was hard to make out in the faint light.
"Since we're about to launch a final assault on Zophia tomorrow, Lady Celine and I have been feeling rather skittish," Edna took over, seemingly more collected than her former liege. "We don't know what will happen tomorrow. We all could very well lose our lives. With that in mind, could we sleep with you, my prince?"
Zane raised an eyebrow at the request. He did understand the stakes they were facing, so it was only natural that they were feeling nervous. Seeing no harm in it, and not having the heart to send them away, he gave the signal for them to join him. Both fairies looked relieved and hurriedly climbed into the large bed, with Celine on his right while Edna occupied the left. With a snap of his fingers, the lights died out, leaving the only source being the moon outside.
The vision abruptly ended there, and Marth found himself back in his bedroom in Tokyo. Talk about an unusual memory, but he didn't quite mind it. He looked over at the two girls sleeping peacefully at his side. Somehow, he felt more at ease than he ever did before. His mind finally calming, he closed his eyes and went to sleep.
To be continued
A bit longer than I was expecting, but I don't mind. I do love getting Marth into silly hijinks like this, especially when it involves Fuko. I can't have things be all doom and gloom all the time after all. Also, if this chapter is anything to go by, I will be adding characters from the SAO Gameverse into this story, like Philia. The plan right now is to also include Rain and Seven, but I might add more in the future. Anyway, next chapter should hopefully have them diving into the Unlimited Neutral Field. I'll see you guys next time!
