Kirito
"Okay, elbow up, and draw," Akira told Yui, kneeling down next to the tiny girl.
Yui bit her lip in fierce concentration and raised her tiny arm up. Akira had made the bow, it was tiny and perfect to use in practice for someone Yui's size. Yui to her credit had an arrow knocked right, but from the porch I could see the bow wiggling ever so slightly.
"Steady…" Akira told her, holding her arm for her, as she aimed down their makeshift archery range.
"Like… this?" Yui said, holding up her elbow as she held back the string.
"Yes, exactly," Akira said, kneeling behind her, one hand on her shoulder and pointing down the range at the straw bullseye. "Now, remember the arrow's going to drop so you want to make sure you aim above where you want your arrow to go, got it?"
"Just… above it, okay!" Yui said, adjusting her aim.
"Ha, looks like she's a natural, Akira was right," Asuna said next to me, her eyes still closed as she leaned peacefully against my shoulder.
"You're right," I said, putting down the info packet and looking at her, then back at Yui who Akira had just finished adjusting her aim. "We were hopeless, he must be ecstatic to have someone to teach."
"Okay, awesome!" Akira said, he only wore a white short-sleeve and black pants, his own Black Bow of Fate across his shoulders, but he looked as excited as I had guessed. "Okay, now pull back and take in a breath, see your arrows path, and then let it go!"
"Got it!" Yui said, pulling back the tiny string to her cheek, as Akira waited behind her practically bouncing on his toes.
Yui narrowed her eyes, and sucked in a large breath, before a second later, she let it go and the arrow zipped down our makeshift archery range.
And it turned out Akira was a great teacher, because the arrow hit right in the center of the target.
"YES!" YES!" Akira and Yui shouted at the same time, both of them jumping as high as they could fists pumping. Akira laughed and grabbed Yui up onto his shoulders, and it was one of those memories that would be burned into my memory.
Until… they disappeared. A static blur came over both of them, and before I could stand up to see what was wrong, if they were lagging the both of them turned, looked at me with a smile before falling into colorful polygons.
"YUI! AKIRA!" I yelled, shooting up from my chair, an explosion going off in my chest. "ASUNA! WE… ASUNA?!"
On the swinging loveseat we had on the porch, Asuna who had just been next to me was gone, the only thing that I could see was mist-like blue data, and the faint outline of where she had once stood, and that was before the ground underneath me shook. I spun around to see the ground cracking, the bullseye with Yui's arrow sticking out of it fell into an abyss, and with my head splitting like the ground in front of me I turned and rushed back into the house.
But it was the same there, my body shook like a leaf as beneath my feet, my home, the last place I had felt alive, felt whole was splitting in half. The cabin was crumbling around me, and all I could do was scream, furniture, plates, cabinets, all of them fell and exploded into data, the windows crashed and fell into tiny pieces, and finally one loud explosion sound shook the house and sent me falling towards the now empty windows. My hands stopped me from falling to the ground, but I looked down at the glass cutting my palms, blood trickled down my wrists, tears came down my face, and finally I looked up to see the sky.
All of it was red, each individual tile of the world with an 'error' message… crimson blood oozed from each tile like an open wound, falling and spilling onto my head, falling down my skin, my body… before I felt the ground shake again.
And it swallowed me whole.
"GAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"ARGHHHHH NOOOO!"
Cold sweat agonizingly dripped down my body, the t-shirt I'd fallen asleep in was damp, and I could feel my own sweat covering my pillowcase. In my fit I'd thrown the covers off myself, as the sun started streaming in through my blinds. That was one thing that hadn't changed, the sun and nightmares waking me up at night.
Another thing was the empty feeling I carried with me. I was home… but there was still things missing, very important things.
But you need to try and smile, get better, for Sugu's sake, Akira can't carry that burden alone, I told myself as I swung my legs to the side of my bed. It was shaky getting up, but I managed as I walked over to my window. I looked outside, and I still saw the spare bike of mine that Akira had been using. Mom had offered to buy him his own, but Akira had been adamant he'd buy his own when they could start working again, after they were done physical therapy and back in shape.
Of course, I'd been lacking in that department, with Akira being out exercising every morning so far since we had started walking steady again. I knew it was just how he coped, how he dealt with being back, to make the memories go away, and part of me wished I could do that too… but it was hard, when you didn't know how to make yourself whole again.
That's selfish of me… Akira's just as upset as I am, I need to try and be strong, I told myself, dragging my feet over to my mirror and the clock on my computer desk.
My old bike still being there didn't surprise me, Akira always went on a run when he went to the fitness center every morning, he only used it when he had other places to go. I looked up at the time, and then at myself in the mirror.
And saw my face wet with tears.
Sighing, I wiped my eyes. "I've turned into such a crybaby Asuna…" I looked at the time again and winced. "7am, only crazy people are up then… and I live with two of them."
Come on, make today better, be strong… you're the Black Swordsman.
INNOCENCE OP PLAYS
SAO AKIRA'S ARROWS: FAIRY DANCE ARC
EPISODE 1: Return
Akira
"Three French vanilla shots, splash of milk and sugar," The barista said, plopping the cup of coffee on the counter and smiling over at me. "You're all set Akira."
"Thanks Kayo," I said, leaving the right amount of Yen plus a tip on the counter. "I'll see you tomorrow!"
"See you Akira! OH! And my dad said his offer still stands when you can work again!" The young black-haired girl said with a wave and smile.
I smiled, actually excited and waved. "Ha, awesome! Tell him I'll stop by to talk more about it tomorrow, thanks again Kayo!"
I downed what had to be half the cup of coffee in one go as I walked out of the shop, the cold winter winds of Tokyo hitting my face as I did. It was perfection as usual, and I couldn't help but silently apologize to Kya's spirit in my head for all the times I made fun of her for drinking so much coffee. It really was a great energy boost in the morning, especially when you got up as early as I did.
Also, when you barely slept like I did it was a big help.
The tiny family-owned coffee shop called 'Kanazuki's Tea', was right on the way to the gym, and it had been mostly thanks to their coffee and what Sugu usually made in the morning I was able to go for runs every morning like I did. With my jacket still tied tight, compression pants and long sleeves with a cup of coffee in my hand, the small walk down the street to the gym was actually somewhat relaxing. I had forgotten in two years the joys of different sounds, small things like cars driving buy, the sounds of people chatting on the phone as they walked by, or TVs showing ads, it was all something I thought used to annoy me, but I had a newfound appreciation for now.
The one thing I had missed most of all however, was music.
A playlist of anime theme songs and all my favorite composers back on my phone, with headphones in as I walked down the street, after two years of the same music in every single inn unless you knew a bard. It was like heaven on earth.
My run from the Kiriguya house to Kanazuki's tea was about three miles give or take, and it normally took up a half hour to forty-five minutes of my time. Which considering my body had gone two years without walking, I considered a pretty good time. Kirito and I's nurse/physical therapist who we visited once a week, who ironically enough was named Aki, had told me running was a good way to get my footing back, so as soon as I could walk straight again, I had taken it up.
I found the gym and Kanazuki's Tea Shop after a run one day, and now for the past month almost it had been at least a six day a week thing in the mornings, it was probably the most relaxing thing I did, between the nightmares, day terrors, and cooking for the Kiriguya's when I could.
Kirito and Sugu's parents had given me everything after I woke up and without even thinking twice about it. I wasn't going to be a freeloader, so that's why I made sure to get jobs lined up to pay them back as soon as I was physically able. The two of them worked a lot, so they weren't around much, making it often just me, Kirito and Sugu, and I liked to think we struck a healthy balance between managing household choirs and cooking, despite Sugu insisting sometimes we take it easy.
After the SAO incident, and the dismantling of Argus's assets, the government had taken the money they received and funded programs for all the SAO survivors. One of them had been a decent lump size of Yen for each survivor, since obviously many of them like me, couldn't get back to work right away after waking up.
The only thing I had bought was a three-month long membership to the gym I finally stood in front of after finishing my coffee. The rest, I had given right to Mr and Mrs Kiriguya, despite their protests. For clothes, I only had around half my old wardrobe so far from the Tanaka residence, so Kirito had been letting me take some of his old shirts and such, I wore one of his old school backpacks now, and rode his old bike when I needed.
I refuse to be a burden on the people who took me in when I had nobody, I thought, as I pulled open the door to Asaka's Fitness and Sports Club.
The smell of disinfectant, and sweat hit my nose right away, which like normal at first was repulsive, but after a few minutes got better. Asaka's had absolutely everything you could need after you'd been trapped in a virtual death game for two years. As I walked in, at least six long rows of treadmills, ellipticals, stair climbers and other cardio equipment were stretched out with dozens of TVs down from the ceiling for anyone to watch. To the left, were rows of dumbbells, benches for bench pressing, squatting, or deadlifting, along with of course plenty of different machines for any kind of exercise you want. Employees in bright yellow shirts and black shorts with hats all gave tours, some were training with people individually.
Further back into the building they had things like a pool for swimming laps or aerobic therapy, there was a sauna to rest after you worked out, there was even a dojo, where Mr. Asaka had offered to let me take free lessons in karate or other things such as kendo, since he had instructors for both hired.
The karate lessons were something I had been going to, naturally taking is very slow with my instructor, but I had skipped his offer of Kendo lessons. All it took was watching Sugu practice one morning before I left to know I had a perfectly good teacher at home. Yes, for the last month, Asaka's had been my home in the mornings, as I tried to get my body back to where it once was.
However, the best part, was what they had outback. Outside, was a full-scale Olympic archery range. Targets ranging from twenty meters, all the way to eighty. They had new recurve style bows used by professionals, and old Japanese bows called Yumi. It baffled me that after using a bow every day, firing dozens of arrows a day… that there was so much more I could have learned.
My favorite thing, however, was learning Kyudo, the traditional Japanese style of archery, with the massive bow that was as tall as me.
The bow I picked up during these lessons, reminded me so much of The Black Bow of Fate.
"7am, well, Kirito's probably still sleeping," I said, looking at my phone as the cool air of the gyms air conditioner froze the sweat from running to my forehead. "I know Sugu's up, maybe I'll get doughnuts on the way home."
The only money I had, was the same amount Kirito and Sugu got from their parents to spend each week while they were away, but I'd been trying to spend it as wisely as possible. I had lived on the streets before. Aki and I had to go weeks without any Yen at all, so I didn't mind, what I got a week may not have looked like a lot, but to me it was plenty.
Not to mention, I was just happy to be back… despite the nightmares, and other problems we faced.
"Ahhh, Akira, right on time!" a voice said, as I let the headphones which I had been able to retrieve from the Tanaka's fall around my next. To my left, a smiling old man waved me over as he held up a scanner. "How are we feeling today boy, legs getting better?"
"Better everyday Mr. Asaka, thank you," I said, scanning the QR code I had on my phone at the old man's scanner to use the gym. "Made it in 32:27 today."
The old man laughed, and it still baffled me how someone so old could look like they were in such good shape. Mr. Asaka was at least sixty, with slicked back white hair, a yellow t-shirt and khakis. He sat in a big rolling chair behind the welcome desk which I often saw him rolling on to every phone and computer he had back there. His arms were at least as big as my head, which was scary, but the man had been nothing but kind to me since I discovered his gym.
He nodded as, I saw my picture pop up on his computer screen, wincing at just how scrawny I'd looked a month ago when I took it.
"Not bad at all for someone with your circumstances," He said, as he went under the desk and pulled out a combination lock for me. "Gotta say, you're really filling out too kid, a far cry from the skinny little thing that walked in here at first."
"Ha, being trapped in VR for two years tends to make you that way," I told him, bowing as I took the lock from him. "Busy this morning?"
I technically wasn't supposed to go around talking about how I was an SAO survivor. Kikuoka the agent Kirito and I had met with after we awoke told us so. He said that the government was advising the survivors of SAO to keep a low-profile and just get their lives back to normal for a bit while they still conducted investigations. It wasn't hard to do that, I hadn't met up with anyone other than obviously Kirito, but I had to assume no other SAO survivors really liked talking about it either.
The only reason Mr. Asaka knew was I got scared he'd think the Kiriguya's were abusing or starving me from how frail I looked. Even now, I still wasn't very large, my arms were still a bit small, and my legs gave out sometimes, but compared to how I was earlier in the month I looked downright amazing.
"Got here before the rush like usual," He said, leaning back in his chair with a smile. "Where's that friend of yours, still haven't seen him for weeks."
I winced. "He's… well… recovering a different way you could say."
Kirito had come with me to the gym once. It had only been one time, because after leaving him alone for one minute I found him passed out and drooling on the stationary bike. I decided to let him sleep in after that.
Besides, I knew that despite everything going on in my head… it was worse for Kirito. I reminded myself of the time, I liked to always be home in the morning when he went to go and see Asuna at the hospital, so Sugu didn't have to be alone, before I went later in the afternoon. We were both coping in different ways, I knew that, so all I could do was be there for him now.
My own healing, mentally at least, could wait. It wasn't that I didn't care about Asuna, not at all, I was terrified every day she didn't wake up… but I had to be strong for Kirito's sake, and for Asuna's.
Or at least, I had to try.
Mr. Asaka gave an understanding nod. "After what you all went through, all you survivors, I don't blame him… if there's anything any of us can do, you know not to hesitate."
That made me smiled. "Thanks Mr. Asaka, I appreciate it, really. So, is Giyu ready for the same time like usual?"
The old gym owner smiled. "Of course, he told me yesterday you're making progress, may even see if you can advance soon."
I shuddered. Giyu was Mr. Asaka's son, and the karate instructor for the club.
He also happened to be a black belt, and even larger then his father. In the last two weeks of lessons with him, I had been pinned at least ten times every morning. It hurt yes, but something Kya always said was sometimes getting your ass kicked was a good thing, since the best thing we could learn from in life was mistakes.
"I don't want to advance until I can make it through a full hour," I said after shuddering, but I still nodded my thanks and bowed at the man. "I'll be sure to meet with him, thank you sir."
"Anytime lad," He said with a wave, before his eyes went wide. "Oh! One more thing Akira, I got the paperwork through. As soon as you're legs feel up to it just tell me, and we'll get you a uniform and more information. It won't be long hours, and less days a week then that coffee shop gig you told me about, but it's still money."
That made my eyes go wide as well, and I bowed again. "That's more then okay, thank you so much Mr. Asaka, I won't let you down."
"I know you won't, instructor," He said with a wink, before waving me off. "Now go on, get to work!"
I nodded, and with a smile, bowed a third time, before turning to head towards the locker rooms.
It may still feel like hell… but we'll change that.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
In the one month since I had somehow survived SAO, it ended up being just as hard as I thought acclimating myself back into society. During my last few months with Kirito and Asuna, I genuinely had wanted to get back to the real world, more for their sake… but in the back of my head, I wanted to see what kind of life I could lead. Kya and Aki were gone, and I still had the nightmares, it still came in spurts of depression every single day… but in the end, they died and I lived, it was my duty to make sure that wasn't in vein, and their memory lived on with me.
Kya's father on the other hand, had thought otherwise.
A few people I recognized since becoming a regular at Asaka's waved at me, as I went from machine to machine, from dumbbells to barbells and other weights, doing curls and other exercises for at least forty-five minutes to an hour. One thing that still made me feel sluggish, was moving just in general back in the real world, without the systems movement assist feature. My agility had been so high in Aincrad, that I always moved naturally quick with no problem.
In the real world, especially after not moving my body for two years, that was different.
After I ran into Kirito in the hall of the hospital, and all the other SAO survivors woke up, the nurses and doctors couldn't separate us. So for another week or so, while we did physical therapy in the hospital, and just had our vitals monitored, Kirito and I stayed in a conjoined hospital room at our own request. Dozens of people had come by, for Kirito at least, Sugu had been there with us every day… but they had all come for Kirito, which I really didn't mind at all, seeing him reunite with the people he once knew, made me happier then I could properly express.
However, one thing lingered in both our minds… Asuna.
It wasn't until Kikuoka came to see us, that in exchange for Kirito and I's statement of events during Aincrad's final hours, how the game was defeated, what we did to end it, Kayaba's last moments, he'd let us know where Asuna was. Kirito and I guessed all the other survivors Kikuoka spoke to, had directed them to us. In exchange for that information, the government agent had helped us to find Asuna's location.
What we had found… it took almost all the joy out of us waking up. Our trio, our promise to be with each other in any world… it had to be put on hold.
For me at least, it had only gotten worse, on the last day we were scheduled to leave the hospital.
I would never forget it. Sugu was sitting between Kirito and I's beds when the door opened, to reveal a beautiful middle-aged woman with long red hair and green eyes. Hanuko Tanaka, Kya's mother.
It didn't come as a surprise to me what she had to say. We both cried. Mrs. Tanaka had always treated me like a second son, Aki like one of her own when we lived there with Kya. Seeing her cry as she handed me three bags full of my things, practically falling to her knees to tell me how sorry she was… it killed me. Not because I had lost a place to live, not even because she was crying.
But because I had been the one to cause it, since I was the one who let Kya and Aki both die that day in SAO.
Mr. Tanaka had never liked me, his precious daughters boyfriend moving in with her, an orphan off the streets with his sister, I never really blamed him because in the end, after Kya and Mrs. Tanaka had talked him into it, he let Aki and me into his home, despite still obviously holding contempt for me. Even now, as he told Mrs. Tanaka I wasn't going to be allowed to stay with them anymore… I still couldn't be mad at him.
Because he was grieving just as I was… and I had let his daughter die. The one time I could have proved to him my commitment to her, I had let Kya die. And I had let the sister I took such pride in keeping safe all those years we lived on the streets die as well.
To me, I was getting what I deserved.
After almost an hour of lifting, curling, rowing and other various exercises, I went to the locker room and found my locker. I switched into a new pair of shorts and one of Kirito's old t-shirts and took a deep breath before going to meet the massive form of Giyu in the karate dojo in the fitness club for my scheduled practice at around 8am.
That last day I was in the hospital, after Mrs. Tanaka had left, I had told her to simply keep the rest of me and Aki's things stored, and that one day soon I would come over to get them all. I had at least a dozen more boxes of stuff that had belonged to Aki and I at the house I knew that, and i had all intentions on going by the place, so Kya's parents could finally grieve without that constant reminder in their house.
But… I still hadn't gone, even a month later.
It was partly because, I didn't want to see the old house where Aki, Kya and I had last been together in the real world, see the bed Kya had been trapped in SAO in, where Aki had been trapped before I let them both die. It was also partly, because I had no idea what I'd do with all of Aki's old stuff, I didn't know if I could bare to sell any of it, and Sugu was too old to wear her old clothes.
But mostly… it was because I didn't want to face it all, the reality I knew deep down was true.
They weren't coming back. I knew it, I had known if for over a year… but I still hadn't faced that reality yet.
And with all that was happening with Kirito, with Asuna, with trying to get back into a routine in the real world… I couldn't bring myself to face that reality yet. So, I would ignore it, and I'd leave it at that, at least until Kirito and I could find a way to help Asuna.
Giyu as expected completely and utterly destroyed me. He was kind enough to not slam me onto the mat, and obviously knowing my circumstances took it easy on me. But, despite his assurances and praise my grappling techniques and striking power were getting better I left the karate lesson utterly dejected but determined to soon get at least one clean strike in on the massive man. Even though I was getting beat each time, I did feel myself learning with each lesson I'd had over the last month. I knew I'd never be as fast without the system to help me, but I could keep trying to get that close.
After sufficiently sweating after the lesson, I got into the sauna for about ten minutes to relax and let my muscles cool down. Mr. Asaka said I was lucky I came so early, because some of the older members of the fitness club tended to not care about wearing a towel or not in the sauna, a thought that made me shudder.
I only spent a small amount of time in the sauna, before I went to the locker room showers at around 8:40am. It was a quick shower, before I went to gather up all my belongings from my locker. Slinging Kirito's old backpack onto my shoulder, I made my way towards the back of the fitness center, towards the backyard. The cold breeze was refreshing as I stepped outside, and saw the misty haze set out over the archery range.
"Hello old friend…" I said, running my hand along the wood of the massive bow, and if I squinted it was completely black, with sharp points at each end, my Black Bow of Fate.
A bucket full of arrows had already been set out, and with my messy blonde hair blowing to the side in the wind, I grabbed one, after slipping on the archery glove Mr. Asaka had given me for free, after I agreed to become his archery instructor. The string of the bow was tight and took some strength to draw back to my cheek, but after I did it to practice a few time, it was easy.
I didn't bother with the lower targets, and part of me was upset that the targets only went up to eighty meters, but I made do. Stepping up and taking aim, I sucked in a deep crisp breath of the cold winter air and waited for the wind to die down. After it didn't, I adjusted for the wind speed and direction, aiming slightly up and to the right of the hazy red bullseye. It should have been near impossible to hit from this range with the mist, but I wasn't deterred. I had done this every day for two years after all.
With a deep breath out, I let the arrow loose. It chaffed against my archery glove, and like I had predicted, the wind took hold of the arrow and sent it flying down and to the left in mid-air. Luckily my adjustments, just like every day in Aincrad, had worked.
It smashed into the red of the bullseyes, and I could almost imagine the death sound of a mob, before it disappeared into data. The first few times I had done it, I instinctively went to open up my menu again to check rewards… but luckily, I'd grown out of that.
"Some things never change…" I said, managing a small smile, despite the turmoil in my mind.
Everything had changed that last day in the hospital, after Mrs. Tanaka had left.
I had thought I'd have nowhere to go. Looking back on it, it was ridiculous to think that Kirito who was sitting right there, wouldn't have offered to help me, he was my best-friend.
But it hadn't been him who said something first, after she left, and I failed to keep silent tears from falling onto my hospital bed.
"Don't worry about it Akira, you can stay with us!" Sugu had said, looking upset herself, before she turned to Kirito. "Right Kazuto?! We have a guest room, mom and dad will totally say it's okay if we both ask them!"
Those words coming from her, a girl who at the time I'd only known for a week… it had been one of the kindest things I'd ever seen from someone. Sugu hadn't really known me except for what Kirito, and I told her in that week we spent in the same hospital room. All she knew, was that I was important to her brother… and she hadn't hesitated in bringing it up.
Kirito quickly agreed, Mr and Mrs Kiriguya after that, and the next day, I was a member of the Kiriguya household.
All the kindness everyone has shown me, I thought as arrow after arrow left my bow, and each one found exactly what I was aiming for, I have to stay strong for them, I can't ask them to do anymore.
"I won't be a burden…" I whispered, pulling another arrow back to my cheek and aiming just above where my last arrow had gone. "I'll put myself second, if it means everyone can be happy again."
Asuna… where are you… I wish I could ask you how to help.
"Well, well, if there was anywhere I'd see you for the first time on this side, I should have guessed it would be at one of these, Akiri-boy."
Hearing myself be called that name made my arms go weak. The bow almost slipped out of my hands, and my chest exploded. My knees felt weak, and all the bruises from Giyu seemed to flare up at once, as I slowly leaned the bow against the table in front of the range. I didn't want to believe it, so I was going to turn around slow, but that changed when a second voice came after it.
"Yeah… an archer in his element," It said sounding strained, the words hard for her to form as all she could do was get a few out. "A…Akira…"
"Hahaha, got that right Mi-chan!" The first voice said. "And it seems he's still got the sharp eye too!"
The government may have suggested that SAO survivors lay low for first. Along with wanting them all to get acclimated back into normal life, they wanted to try and limit any revenge crimes, like people hunting down someone who had tried to do them wrong in the game. However, to most SAO survivors, at first, they thought I was dead.
Luckily, Kirito and I had found a website anyway, formed by SAO survivors, to see if any of their friends from the game were alive. I had made sure to post a video sending out well wishes and letting them all know I somehow lived.
Still, I hadn't seen any of them yet, not until now. And when I did, I couldn't help but cry.
"M…Mito… Argo…" I croaked out, the cold breeze sending a chill down my spine, as before I could think, I spoke again… the right words. "M…Misumi… Hosaka."
Of course they didn't look any different, two of the people who had made me want to survive SAO. Mito still had her long purple ponytail, she was still as beautiful as ever… and I finally got to see those teal eyes of her, instead of the ruby red ones she had in game.
Argo, or Hosaka, looked no different as well. The only real difference between her from in game, was that she didn't have whiskers anymore. Her golden hair still fell around her ears, and she still wore that same mischievous smile that I somehow trusted with my life dozens of times back in Aincrad.
The only thing that was jarring was honestly seeing them in normal clothes. Seeing Mito without her pristine whitish purple cloak and massive scythe on her shoulder. They'd be substituted with workout shorts, white sneakers, a black jacket and a red cap with her ponytail sticking out the back, while Hosaka looked the same.
"Ha, bet you didn't recognize me without the whiskers huh? Akiri-boy," Hosaka said, waltzing over and leaping up onto the table where my boy lay. "You on the other hand haven't changed a bit!"
"You're right, I almost didn't," I said, smiling at her, before slowly turning to see Mito, or Misumi had closed the distance between us. I let out a nervous laugh. "Ha… hey… Mito."
"I… I've thought a lot about what I wanted to say to you when I saw you survived," She said, unable to look at me at first.
I sighed, I had been expecting this when I eventually had found her. Kirito and I had full plans to find everyone we had know and fought with in Aincrad, I thought I'd have had more time to prepare. Behind us, Argo watched us like we were a good movie.
Finally, I nodded and leaned my head down. "Alright, go ahead, one shot, give it all you got I deserve it. I promised I wouldn't die and well… I did, go on."
She looked back up at me for a minute, wide eyed, and I thought she may actually do it.
But no, that wasn't the kind of person Misumi was.
"You… big idiot," She said, and instead of slapping me… she hugged me, squeezing around my neck with her head on my shoulder. "I'm… so happy you're alive."
For a minute, I was frozen. I'd hugged Mito dozens of times… but this one felt different. Her arms wrapped around my neck, her skin against mine… it was different, so different in a fantastic way from Aincrad, so I did what came naturally, and hugged her back.
"So am I… it's nice to meet you, Misumi Tozawa," I said, as she pulled her head back, and looked at me again, her eyes bright, colorful… and happy.
"Yeah… it's nice to meet you too… Akira Miller," She said, wiping at her eye as she smiled, her hands behind her back.
For a minute, we just looked at each other, smiling. My gym clothes, the old t-shirt and athletic shorts I'd borrowed from Kirito could probably walk by themselves, my blonde hair was probably a mess… but neither of us cared.
"Ooookay you crazy kids, enough with the eyes!" Argo said, before I felt a punch at my right arm. "Hey Akiri-boy, where's the love for ole' Argo!"
I couldn't help but laugh, and she did too when I looked at hugged her before she could say anything. It was a very un-Argo like thing, but she froze for a minute, and I could tell her face had gotten red, especially because I heard Mito giggling behind us. After a minute, she laughed nervously, and I felt her reach up around my arms.
"I'm happy to finally see you… Hosaka," I told her, and to that, she stiffened again.
After a minute, she laughed. "Ha… it'll always be Argo to you, Akiri-boy… but yeah… it's good to see you."
That was a relief, I assumed I'd switch between calling them by their real and game names as the months went on. I was lucky, being named Akira in real life and in the game, but I did make a note to make sure to actually pick a different gamertag if I ever played anything again.
The two girl stood in front of me, Argo with a pair of sweatpants and white jacket on as her normal Argo like grin returned, Mito smiling next to her.
"Ha… so, how's it been for you two?" I asked them, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "Kirito and I were going to wait another month or so before reaching out. We wanted to give everyone time to get things back in order."
Mito's eyes widened and she smiled. "I was going to do the same, until I ran into Argo here a few days ago, we normally come later in the afternoon."
Argo chuckled. "Haha a great coincidence Mi-chan! Asaka's a nice guy, he's running a discount membership plan for SAO survivors."
"Ha… he didn't tell me that," I said, a warm feeling bubbling up in my chest. "He's a great guy, Mr. Asaka."
Mito nodded, an embarrassed look on her face. "He is… when we both learned that he had an archery range, he told us he was hiring an SAO survivor as an instructor… and well…"
"We dared to hope and here you are Akiri-boy!" Argo said with a laugh. "Ha, you can finally give me those lessons I never had time for in Aincrad."
Mito nodded along with her. "Me too! Once you… feel up to it of course."
I shook my head. "You guys don't even have to ask, as soon as I start you're first on the list…. But how well… have you both been… well, mentally?"
Mito seemed to tremble as she kicked the ground. "I've… been as okay as you can be, sleeping's kind of hard, but I'm getting by, my parents have a therapist come to our house."
Argo nodded as well. "Yeah… government's been doing good by us SAO survivors. I've been about the same, been trying to keep as busy as I can."
"I understand the feeling," I said, my chest trembling. "Been here five or six days a week every morning when I can't sleep. Been trying to convince Kirito to come with me."
"Ha, and how is Ki-boy feeling?" Argo asked.
"Yeah, we… all thought you were dead, until the post you made on the survivors website," Mito said, seeming reluctant to ask her next question. "Have… the three of you heard anything from Asuna? I've been trying her and her family, but I can't get anything."
The question turned my good mood sour in a moments notice, and both Mito and Argo seemed to notice when my head fell to the ground, my eyes unable to meet theirs.
"That… that's a long story," I managed to tell them, looking back at them after a few moments. "Asuna… didn't wake up from SAO."
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Suguha
I would never forget the first time I saw the boy alone in the hospital room next to my brothers.
It had happened three months or so before he and Kazuto had woken up. I had been in such a rush to get to my brother's room, the same room I had gone to see him virtually every day for two years in. Except, this time, I simply walked into the wrong room, one that was only one door down from my older brother. I walked in, and heard the heart monitor going… but soon realized that it wasn't Kazuto's room I was in.
No, it wasn't my brother, another boy with now long light blonde hair was laying in the bed with his eyes closed, a Nerve Gear on his head.
Initially, I had been afraid I barged in on someone during a moment with their brother, son or perhaps boyfriend, and went to leave… but I lingered for just a moment. I don't know what it was that caused me to linger, but I did.
When I did, I noticed… that this boy didn't even have any flowers, no cards, the only thing in his room was the bare necessities the hospital had provided. It made my heart ache…what if he woke up, and thought nobody cared about him? Saw that it looked as if nobody came to visit him? At the time, I managed to get myself to leave, surely I'd see someone go in the room eventually.
But I was wrong, I thought, as I washed my sweaty face outside the house.
Kazuto had been in a ward for SAO victims, kids, adults, women, children, boys, girls, who had been taken by the game. Due to that, the hallways were always bustling, parents, lovers, siblings all came and went day after day, carrying flowers, cards, cute stuffed animals, and other tokens of affection, so when they all finally woke up, they'd know how they were loved and cared for. I had done the same with Kazuto, every day I had watered or changed the flowers when needed and brought him dozens of cards from all our family friends. Yeah… mom, dad and I had made sure Kazuto knew when he woke up, we had been there.
But… that hadn't been the case for the boy in the room next door.
It was a month of me watching, unable to not be interested. I waited for the day I saw someone walk into that boy's room, for anyone other then a nurse to come and see him.
Eventually it happened, I remembered a pretty older woman with red hair going to see him. She was never there long, as an impatient looking older man who I assumed was her husband always waited outside the door. One day after she had visited, a month after watching the boy's room, I decided to go and see what she had left for him.
All I saw was a card… and that was when, I finally decided that it simply wouldn't do. So, despite not knowing the boys name, his story… everyday before spending the hours in Kazuto's room, I'd visit him. The nurses never minded, since he never got visitors. I never stayed for long, only a few minutes to fix blankets, and give water to the flowers I started leaving for him.
I became proud of the carnations I left, how pristine they were, and I hoped that one day when Kazuto and the boy woke up, he'd be thankful. I realized after another two months of visiting him… that I didn't even take the time to figure out his name. It wasn't until the last day before the SAO incident ended, that I finally took the time to take a peek at the charts they had in the hospital room for him, when the nurse had left.
After I learned his name… the next day that boy and my brother had woke up, and I learned that the two of them were best friends.
And a week after that, the boy I had visited for two months was living with us.
"Let's see… my footwork was okay, but the attacks sucked," Kazuto said, wiping the water off his face as he walked by me. "I guess I can't use the sword skills without the system to help me out…"
I picked my head up after wiping off the sweat. Of all the things that could have happened after he woke up, Kazuto asking me for a kendo match was something I could only have dreamed off. He'd been different ever since he woke up, more… like he used to be. It was something that I'd spent years dreaming about, wanting from him. To be like we had used to be when we were little, to be that close again before we'd drifted apart. I had thought I really lost my brother, after the SAO incident… but it seems that whatever happened to him in that game, changed him, which made complete sense.
Still, neither him nor Akira had told me much of anything at all, other then the two of them fought together for almost a year together. I learned my brother trusted Akira with his life, and vice versa. I didn't know how or what they fought, I didn't know what they did in SAO, what they had to do to survive. Other than the simple fact they trusted each other from the game… I knew nothing, and I would never dream of prying them for details.
I didn't even want the details myself, all I cared about, was that Kazuto was back. And then of course… Akira was here too, something that as the last month had gone by, I'd come to love as well.
But they got like this sometimes, Akira did as well. They'd both start talking to each other or themselves, and just use words I couldn't understand, things that didn't make any sense.
It doesn't matter, if I'm going to help them get back to normal, I need to do all I can!
"I have to say I'm really surprised, how long have you been practicing behind my back?" I asked him, draping my towel around my neck.
He turned, a soft smile on his face and laughed. "Ha, none I promise…. But it is fun you know… maybe I'll take it up again."
That set my mind into overdrive. For the last month, it seemed that almost everything Kazuto said did that. He was… different, but not different. He was starting to act like he used too, and that made me more excited then I could describe.
I smiled and walked over to him. "Really?! You mean it, you're serious?!"
He smiled again and nodded. "Ha, of course I do. You wanna be my teacher?"
"Are you kidding, of course!" I told him, feeling like i was a little kid again. "We'll train together like we used to! It'll-."
He laughed to cut me off, by rubbing my head, which made me laugh to. "Ha, easy, after I build up some muscle. In the meantime, I think Akira would be eager to be your student, he's in much better shape then I am right now."
That made me even more excited. My eyes widened, the excitement bubbling up in my chest as I looked my brother in the eye. I would be seriously upset if he was teasing me about this.
"He would?! I never knew he liked kendo!" I said, and despite the cold outside, my chest started getting warm.
Kazuto smirked and rubbed my head again. "Ha, you seem awfully excited at the idea. Forgetting about me already?"
My face got beat red. "What?! No, of… of course not! I just… well…"
He laughed, which didn't help the red in my face. "Haha, I'm just kidding. Akira told me well… a while ago, in the game, that he always wanted to learn kendo, but he… never had the opportunity. I told him when we made it out, I had the perfect teacher for him."
I soaked up the information like a sponge. The few tidbits I had learned about Akira's past life in the last month always left me wanting more. Akira himself had told me a few things, the fact he was originally from America, how he and his younger sister had lived on the streets as kids, Akira having to figure out ways for them to live, until they moved in with his old girlfriend.
And of course… that he had lost both of them in SAO.
"Ha, don't worry, I got Kirito, my friends, and now you. I'll be okay."
That's what he had told me when I started telling him how sorry I was for his losses. In the month I'd known him, he was always smiling, laughing, helping out around the house, with my history homework, anything at all.
Kazuto had been a bit different, he was quieter, but I still saw him smile whenever he was with Akira, or with me. Still, hearing that they had spoken about me back in SAO, it didn't do anything to help my blushing.
"You… told him about me in the game?" I asked Kazuto, the cool breeze sending chills up my back.
He stuttered for a minute but smiled as he rubbed my head again. "Course I did. In games, you normally don't talk about the real world, but Akira… well he was different. We talked about a lot, one of those things was kendo, so, what do you say to being our teacher?"
I smiled, content, I didn't need to know anymore. I knew exactly who my brother and Akira were, and I loved it.
Nodding, I laughed as he messed up my hair. "Of course, I will! You'll both be top tier by the time I'm done with you!"
"Ha, good, like I said you can start on him now he's been at the gym every day, while me on the other hand…" He said, sounding slightly embarrassed as he laughed. "Well, I'm gonna need a little more practice."
I smiled, and at the tip of my tongue I felt the words start to leak out. "Do you wanna know what I've been practicing….?"
He tilted his head at me. "Huh? What?"
At the last second, I decided against it. I'd get a lot stronger first before I told him or Akira about my other new hobby.
Kazuto rolled his eyes. "Okay, that is so not cool."
I laughed and turned back towards the house. "Haha you'll figure out soon! So, Akira went to the gym like usual this morning, right?"
My brother sighed. "Yeah, he's starting to make me feel self-conscious, he asks me to go every night. I'd go if he didn't get up so early."
We got into the house and the heat warmed my bones. "It'd be good for you, you know! I've been thinking about asking him to go myself."
My brother scoffed, and I could feel his smirk aimed at the back of my head. "Ha, I'm sure you have."
Red faced again I turned around to him. "What are you trying to say?!"
He laughed and rubbed my head again. "Ha, nothing at all, don't worry. It's almost ten, I wonder where he is, he should be back-."
"Goooood morning Kiriguya's, I brought doughnuts," Akira's voice came from the back door to answer Kazuto's question.
Kazuto and I both turned to sure enough see Akira slipping his house key into his pocket. Like he said, he had a large box in his hand, and of course at the prospect of doughnuts I rushed over to the kitchen table where he put them down and smiled at us.
He had one of Kazuto's old backpacks slung over his back, a pair of black jogging pants on with sneakers and a sweaty white t-shirt. Kazuto and I watched him go out to run and to the gym almost every morning and compared to how bony he was when he had first woken up, he looked to be filing in extremely well now, gaining back the muscle and body mass he'd lost, the same as Kazuto was, although my brother's was coming back at a slower rate.
His hair was cry from the cold wind, blonde and poofy, while his green eyes looked excited when he saw both of us walk into the kitchen. Sometimes, I caught him and Kazuto both simply looking at themselves in the mirror. Naturally I had to tease them about it when I did, but in the end, I did understand why they did this. They had aged two whole years, and hadn't seen their real reflection since they were both fourteen.
Akira looked and saw me first, and smiled, which didn't help my already red face. Before I could say anything though, Kazuto laughed behind me.
"Ha, you could have at least showered there before coming back," He said, walking up to his friend from behind me. "You smell horrible, and how many of my old shirts are you gonna fill with your sweat?"
"Well, I was going too, but I got caught up before I left the gym," Akira laughed, a slight red tinge coming to his face as he looked at my brother. "I… ran into some people we know, I'll tell you about it later."
Kazuto's surprised face said it all, his eyes widened before he nodded and smiled. He and Akira did the handshake I'd seen them perform dozens of times, before Akira smiled finally over at me.
"Morning Sugu, I think it's strawberry you said was your favorite, right?" He said, opening the box to reveal twelve extremely appetizing doughnuts.
He was already sure, I can't believe he remembered, I thought, my mouth and smiling wider as I took one and nodded at him.
"They are, thank you Akira," I said, biting into one and smiling at him. "You didn't have to go and get these."
Of course, the fact that he did for us just showed what I already knew, which was the fact he was an even better person then I thought. One of the most thoughtful people I know.
Kazuto nodded and took one as well. "Ha, she's right. You know, mom and dad would give you as much as they give Sugu and I every week right?"
Akira scoffed and rolled his eyes, walking over towards the kitchen. "We've been over this, I won't take a single Yen more from you guys then I have too after what you did for me."
"As stubborn as ever," Kazuto sighed, looking down at me, seeing my red face and smirking again.
I shot him a glare and he laughed, as I looked at Akira washing his face in the sink and pulling off his sweaty shirt.
"So, it's almost the afternoon and you're both still here," He said, going into his backpack and pulling out a fresh black t-shirt to put on. "What have you been up too?"
I tried with all my willpower to ignore his shirtless form, but of course it was futile. After finished the doughnut I was on, I patted both my cheeks to focus myself. Thankfully Kazuto answered for both of us.
"We were practicing in the dojo, Sugu here humbled me really quick though," My brother said, as he sat at the kitchen table before looking at me. "Ain't that right sis?"
I realized Akira was looking at me and laughed nervously. "Ha… well, don't sell yourself short Kazuto, you were really good, even better than I expected!"
Akira, I realized was pouring himself coffee from the pot he made this morning. I figured out he drank at least three cups a day, and had tried to get Kazuto on it as well.
He laughed as he came and sat with Kazuto and me. "Ha… once a swordsman, always a swordsman, some thing's… they never change."
He sat across from Kazuto and next to me, both his hands on the coffee mug, looking at the frothy brown liquid. Akira and my brother did that other thing they sometimes did. One of them would say something, which I assumed had to do with their time in SAO… and then, they'd either smile, or frown, completely silent for a few minutes.
At least this time they were smiling at whatever memory they shared.
Finally, I found my voice and looked at Akira next to me. "Akira… Kazuto told me you wanted to learn kendo too! If you want, I can teach you, I bet you'll last longer too since you're in better shape haha."
Kazuto winced but didn't deny it. "You didn't have to say it."
I smiled as my brother did as well. Akira next to me laugh, and looked at me with a smile and those large green eyes of his.
"Ha… that sounds like fun, you're right, I always did, my… sister and I always wanted to take lessons," He said, looking down at his coffee again, a fond smile on his face, before he nodded at me. "I'd be happy to be your student Sugu, as for being better then Ki… Kazuto, I think you'd be surprised."
Akira did that all the time as well. What was he trying to call my brother?
Kazuto laughed. "Ha, that's true, I did show you all you know after all. But still, I think you'll give you a good smack on the head, I was just telling her how she'd even give Heathcliff a run for his money."
Akira scoffed, the smile fading away from his face. "I wish she could."
I was shocked for a minute, I'd never seen such a nasty look on Akira's face. Whoever it was that Kazuto mentioned, Akira must not have had fond memories of him.
Still, I pushed the thoughts from my mind, my excitement reaching a new peak. With the plans I had in ALO later, and now this, the winter break that was coming up was looking to be even better then I had thought.
"Well, I'll take you both under my wing, you'll be masters in no time," I told them, a new doughnut in my hand as I looked between them. "We can even start today, as soon as we're done breakfast! Do you have any plans for today? Kazuto?"
The excitement that had been swirling in our kitchen seemed to be sucked away in a vacuum. As I looked between Akira and Kazuto, at the same time, both of their smiles slipped away, their eyes suddenly more interested in the doughnuts at the table.
A shot of regret went down my chest as well… I knew what they were both thinking now.
"Sorry Sugu I… was planning on going to the hospital later," He said, looking up and meeting Akira's eyes. "You… gonna come with me?"
Akira nodded, chewing at his lip. "I… I had something I wanted to do first, but I'll come by afterwards."
"Oh… you're… both going to see Asuna, was it? You… you both go visit her a lot," I asked them, my eyes falling to the doughnuts as well, my hand gripping the skirt long skirt underneath the table.
That had been the one thing, that Akira and Kazuto wouldn't really tell me anything about. Akira spoke slightly more about it then my brother, but it still wasn't a lot. Whenever they left for the hospital, I'd see or hear Akira trying to cheer my brother up… but I knew that the both of them, whoever Asuna was, was more important to them then anything right now.
My brother especially. Akira had told me the basics, and even just that surprised me. I never thought I'd see the day my brother was in love or had a girlfriend of any kind. That may have been due to the fact before he got stuck in SAO, we barely spoke, but hearing he had fallen in love in SAO, it was the last thing I had expected to hear when I asked Akira who Asuna was.
About himself and Asuna, Akira had only told me she saved his life more times than he could count. It made sense that the both of them were such good friends, if he was Kazuto's best-friend, it would make sense he was the same for Asuna. Still, despite his smiles and laughing, his encouraging words and acts… sometimes I saw him simply sitting on the couch, or walked into his room to find him looking at the wall. Yeah, whatever their relationship was, Asuna being in the hospital had a profound impact on both my brother and Akira.
"Yeah… it's the only thing I can really do for her right now, I… try to go whenever I can," He said, looking over at Akira. "What time do you think you'll be there?"
Akira shook his head. "Not sure, but I'll call when I am."
Kazuto nodded, before his smile returned towards me. "We'll talk more about kendo later, I'm gonna go get a shower, then I'll make breakfast, you two don't have to worry."
"I'll get it started for you," Akira said, as they both got up from the table.
Like that, all the joy of our morning was gone.
What can I do? What can I do to help them? It was the thought that ran through my head every day I saw them leave for the hospital. I watched as Kazuto smiled down at me, but I could still see the hurt in his eyes, as he rubbed my head and turned to walk towards the steps for his shower.
It's… as if he's only half back… and until Asuna comes back, he won't be fully, I thought, my smile fading, my hands tightening around the skirt more.
I nearly jumped when I felt another hand rubbing my head, I got red and looked up to see Akira smiling at me.
"Hey, don't you worry about him, okay? You're brother is even stronger then you think," He told me, putting on his usual Akira-like smile. "Plus, he's got me looking out for him, I won't let anything happen."
Like always when Akira spoke… I found myself feeling strangely better. The way he spoke, the confidence and energy were infectious, and his smile… was always strangely calming to me. It wasn't what I had expected from the boy I saw laying in that hospital bed alone for those weeks I visited him.
Of course, I still hadn't told him I was the one visiting him, keeping the flowers fresh. How could I? It would have been beyond embarrassing.
"Okay…" I told him, smiling as I rose from my chair. "Just be sure to tell me if there's anything I can, if there is I'll do it really!"
"Ha, I know you will," He said, pulling his hand from my head. "So, Kazuto may be heading for the hospital, but how about after breakfast you put me through my first kendo match? I'd say I'm ready for it."
My eyes widened, a bit of my excitement returning. "Really, you mean it?! But… didn't you tell Kazuto you had something to do before you went to the hospital?"
"I do but… well…" He said, trailing off for a minute, looking forlorn, before his smile came back even bigger then last time. "I can make some time for this, trust me. I'm all yours sensei."
He even bowed, which made me laugh, hard from my gut. As I did, I noticed him come back up smiling at me, clearly pleased with himself.
"Ahahaha, okay, okay but please, don't call me sensei it makes me feel old," I told him, the laughter finally finishing as I nodded and pumped my fist. "Okay, your first lesson starts today!"
"And I look forward to it!" He said, with just as much enthusiasm, before a goofy smile came to his face. "After we're done, maybe one of these days I'll take you to the archery range, show you my area of expertise."
That surprised me. "I remember you saying your gym had an archery range! I didn't know you were an archer!"
"Oh, I dabble here and there," He said, rubbing the back of his head embarrassed. "I know, I look the part of dashing swordsman, but bows have always been my preference."
I giggled into my hand at that. "Ha… well, we'll see just how good you are! How long do you have before you need to go and… I didn't ask, what is it you need to go do anyway?"
That made him freeze up again, he ran a hand through his hair, which was something I realized he did when he got nervous.
Finally he sighed and looked at the ground. "I… well… I… I'm going to go and visit a grave… Kya's."
My eyes widened, and my heart skipped a beat. "I… I'm sorry! If I had known that's where you were going, I wouldn't have-."
"No, don't worry it's okay," He said, his smiling returning. "I try to visit at least once a week… Kazuto normally goes with me but well… as the weeks have gone on, he's gotten more worried about Asuna, and I'm not taking him from her."
Kya. Akira had told me the name of his old girlfriend before, and always spoke it with such reverence, like she was someone to be worshipped. I had seen some pictures of her one time, old ones Akira had gotten back from her parents who he used to live with in the first batch of old things they'd sent back.
She was just as beautiful as I had expected, her long red hair and green eyes. It wasn't even just her looks, it was the confident air she exuded in every picture, her strong, beautiful aura that I envied.
And… the fact Akira looked so happy in all of those pictures, I thought, found myself wishing that he'd smile like that again… perhaps with me in them.
I looked at him, and the words left me before I could think. "If… if you want, I'll go visit with you after our match!"
He looked at me, a bit taken aback. "Sugu I… appreciate it, but you really don't have too, I'll be okay-."
"No, no I mean it! It… has to be sad going by yourself," I told him, smiling as I looked back up at him. "So, I'll be happy to go!"
A few emotions went through his face in seconds, first anxiety, then fear, then a look of regret but finally… I saw him smile, as he nodded.
"Okay then, if you're sure…. Thanks… Sugu, it does mean a lot," He said, rubbing my head again as his handsome smile looked down at me. "Besides, you're right, it is sad going by myself. Kya always used to say, to be happy you gotta be honest with yourself and your feelings. Come on, let's get breakfast started."
I nodded as he went to the kitchen, my chest beating like a drum, after he turned, I let out a breath I'd felt like I was holding for hours.
Be honest with yourself and your feelings… well… maybe it's time I finally did that, I thought, smiling before I went to help him in the kitchen.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"Jeeez Sugu, you didn't have to beat me that hard," Akira complained, rolling his shoulders as we walked through the cemetery together. "Between you and the karate in the morning, I'm gonna fall apart."
I scoffed at first, before giggling followed it. "Ahaha, it's not my fault. It's yours! Why in the world were you trying to dodge my attacks by ducking and rolling, it's impractical, not to mention you're not nearly fast enough to do that!"
"Not fast enough… first time I've ever been told that," He pouted, his hands behind his head.
I had no idea what he was talking about, but I brushed it off as one of those times he or Kazuto just simply said things that didn't make sense.
After beating Akira surprisingly easier then I had beaten Kazuto after breakfast, my brother had gone to the hospital like he planned. Meanwhile, after our match, Akira and I had gotten dressed for the old, and taken the bus towards the central part of the city. I tied my scarf tighter around my neck, the cold chill worse then I had expected. My hands were stuffed in my pockets as I looked over at Akira, who with each step we took seemed to get more and more forlorn.
He pulled his scarf up over his mouth, probably to stop me from seeing him chewing at his lip, or the worried look across his lips. I could tell something was wrong, and it wasn't hard to guess why. The cemetery was beautiful, the grounds were cleared of snow, each grave was in pristine condition. It was bit intimidating at first. I almost felt like I was a trespasser, and with each name I saw it sent another shiver up my spine.
"Here," Akira said, and I looked to see him pull of his jacket.
"What? Akira, it's cold you don't-." I tried to protest, but before I could stop, he already had his larger jacket around mine, and it was far too warm to pass up.
"I'll be okay, I'm honestly sweating…" He told me with a sigh, before smiling at me, although the smile did look forced.
Still… his jacket was warm, and now it was me who pulled my scarf over my red face.
I kept following behind him, not knowing what I could possibly say in the situation to make him feel any better. I was lucky, in the long run, I had been too young to remember my aunt and uncle, Kazuto's real parents dying, and of course, Kazuto made it back from SAO. I hadn't experienced a death of someone close to me, so how would I ever be able to understand what Akira felt as we got climbed up towards a hill, and finally turned to a row of tombstones.
Still, I tried to spark up some conversation. "So… um, I… don't mean to bring it up but, how did you meet Kya?"
Akira slowed his pace, and didn't look around, but I hoped he was smiling. "We met at school actually, before my mom died. You see, even when she was alive, we were hard pressed for money, so my teach would pay me a little bit each day to stay after school and help her with grading papers and cleaning. Kya stayed too well… just because she wanted to help out."
"That's right… you told me it was how you learned Japanese," I told him, as now I did see him turn around with a smile.
"Ha… it was yeah, that and watching anime with Aki," He told me, as he slowed his pace even more the closer, we got. "Me and Aki we… we couldn't have survived without her. Ha… I remember one day she drug me back to her house, we were ten I think, her and Hanuko her mom, made a weeks' worth of food for me, Aki and my mom… she was the best."
He finally stopped, and I did see his eyes getting glossy, watery. He had on a long sweater, but he really did seem to be sweating, His hand balled into fists, before he let out a long sigh. Seeing him like this… it wasn't the same Akira I'd come to know over the last month. The happy, smiling boy who'd been there for my brother and I wasn't here anymore.
Now, he really did seem like someone who lost almost everything.
"Well… Sugu let me introduce you," He said, as we both stopped and turned in front of the grave. "Meet Kyou Tanaka, the best archer that SAO ever saw… the girl who saved my life."
Despite the two jackets now, seeing the name carved into the gravestone froze my body over.
Kyou Tanaka
2008-2023
Fifteen years old… she was only a year older then me, I thought, before bowing down at the gravestone, Akira standing stiff as a statue next to me.
"It's nice to meet you… Kyou," I said, as Akira finally moved, and knelt down on both knees at the grave, his hands running across the gravestone.
Quickly, I knelt and joined him, his fingers lingering over the name.
"Ha… you know, I think you both would have gotten along great," He said, looking over at me, then back to the gravestone. "I see a lot of her in you, you were really alike."
I scoffed right away. "Oh please… from what you told me, I could only wish to be like her."
He didn't say anything at first, just smile at me, the sun shining beautifully over his face, his head of messy hair glittering. It made me go redder, as I looked away from him.
Laughing he shook his head. "I wouldn't be so sure. You were both as sweet as can be, some of the kindest people I know, but when you put your mind to it, just like her you got a fiery side, I just saw a bit of it in the dojo."
He laughed, and my head shot back around to him. "I… I'm sorry! Did I really hurt you? I didn't mean to-."
He rubbed his hand on my head again. "Don't worry, I'm fine, just teasing. You know… you remind me of them both Kya and… and Aki…"
Aki was another name that I only heard a few times, only once from Akira, that was when he told me what he'd lost in SAO. I had seen a picture of her as well, blonde pigtails and big excited green eyes, her and Akira could have passed for twins they looked so alike, despite Aki being younger. Despite hearing about Kya a few times, I knew Akira spoke about his little sister rarely if at all. I remembered when he said, he did come and visit the grave they were at least once a week, but I couldn't recall him ever saying he visited his sister.
I pretended I didn't know or pay attention to those things. "Aki… was your little sister."
"Ha, I know you know, don't worry," He said, the smile fading as he looked back at the gravestone and ran his fingers across it again. "The both of you… you had this compassion for people that was unrivaled. Aki she… she used to do anything for anyone, it didn't matter how old or young, if she knew them or not, all she wanted to do was draw manga and help enrich people's lives."
"I'm terrible at drawing," I muttered, which made him laugh.
"Haha, same here. She… she always drew me as the hero in her manga," He said, both his hands falling to his knees as we knelt, his voice cracking. "I… I wanted to be that hero, in SAO, and in the real world I did but… but I haven't even…"
"You… haven't gone to see her?" I asked, my curiosity getting the best of me. "Is… she buried somewhere? I… I don't know what they did with well…"
He shook his head. "I… I know where she is. Kya after she died, went back to her parents. Aki they… they asked the Tanaka's since they were our guardians but… they didn't know what to do. Hanuko told me they couldn't afford two funerals so… Aki was cremated, she's still with the morgue. Since I'm her only real family Ms. Tanaka she… said it should be me who decides to have a funeral or not. But… but I… I…"
"Akira…" I said, seeing his eyes finally well up.
He didn't sob, his tears only silently fell to the ground in front of him. The boy who I thought was strong, it turned out could show weakness… and he did it for the first time in front of me. I came to a realization then and there.
He's just acting strong… for my brother's sake, I said, hesitantly reaching out for him arm.
Still, he didn't move. "I… I don't know if I have the money, time or… or even the capacity to have one for her. And… and all our stuff, it's still at the Tanaka's. I… I promised weeks ago I'd go to their house and start moving stuff… Aki's stuff, all her old drawings, her clothes, her manga collection and I… I just… just…"
He didn't need to finish, because I knew what he was saying.
"Akira you… you don't have to do all that now," I told him, touching his arm as he made fists in the grass below us. "Kazuto and I we… we can help you, we-."
"I can't make Kazuto do that right now," He said, shaking his head, his arm trembling. "Not with what's going on with Asuna and you I… I don't want-."
"You… what are you doing here boy," A voice said behind us, making me jump.
"Akira…" Another said after that.
I spun around, moving my hand-which had been dangerously close to Akira's- away red faced. Akira turned around with me, getting up to his feet, and when he saw the two people standing a few feet ahead, his eyes went as wide as dinner plates, before they right away fell to the ground.
"Hanuko, Mr… Mr. Tanaka," Akira said bowing to the both of them, keeping his head down. "I… I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd be here."
I looked at the two people, and realization set in. That's the woman who visited him, and… and the man who would wait outside the room.
Tanaka. The name already helped me to figure out who the two were. Mr. Tanaka was a tall, lanky man with green eyes, slicked back hair and a black suit on, a scarf wrapped around his neck. The woman next to him, was beautiful, and looked just like Kya who I had seen in the pictures. She had on stockings, a black skirt and large jacket, and looked like she was about to be sick.
Mr. Tanaka's eyes narrowed towards Akira. "I asked you a question."
"Satoru," Mrs. Tanaka hissed, yanking at his arm, before her eyes looked to me. After I was sufficiently scared, almost grabbing Akira's arm, she spoke in a softer voice. "I… don't believe we've met dear, I remember seeing you in the hospital that day, Akira?"
She looked to Akira now, and Akira despite the obvious fear in his eyes, smiled down at me and looked back to the Tanaka's. Mr. Tanaka didn't make a protest at his wife cutting him off, his glare only staying on Akira… a look of torment in his eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't introduce you then," Akira said, bowing again, and holding a handout towards me. "Hanuko, Mr. Tanaka, this is Suguha Kiriguya. Her brother… was my friend from SAO, her family is the one who took me in."
"Freeload off them as well?" Mr. Tanaka spat out, the words hitting me like a brick.
But that didn't stop me from nearly exploding on the spot.
"Akira doesn't freeload! He helps us with everything around the house, he cooks dinner, he cleans, he helps me study!" I said, glaring now at the older man. "Don't you dare call him a-."
"Sugu… you don't have too, it's fine," Akira said, holding an arm in front of me.
"What?!" I said, looking up at him. "Akira, I won't just let him-."
"Sugu… please," He said quietly, his eyes pleading with me as he looked down.
I looked in his eyes then, and I saw they were dry. A minute ago, he had been crying, but now he had cleaned them. A pleading look came across his face, his green eyes begging me to keep quiet. A shot of annoyance ran through me, how could he sit there and let someone call him a freeloader? I didn't know anyone who worked harder for people then Akira. Every day he'd try to get Kazuto to go to the gym, help him with his physical therapy, despite still being in it himself, he worked so hard for other people, how could someone think otherwise?
My fists clenching, I finally nodded, and turned to look at the Tanaka's again. Mrs. Tanaka-Hanuko- looked down at the ground, a shameful look in her eyes for a minute, before looking up and meeting Akira's eyes.
"Are you doing well there? You look better than last I saw you in the hospital," The woman asked him. Her husband hadn't stopped glaring at Akira.
Akira quickly nodded, unable to look at them. "Yeah… they're amazing."
I looked back up at him, wanting to say something, but words died in my throat.
Hanuko nodded, a small smile coming to her face. "That's good… I'm happy, Kyou would be as well, and… and Aki."
Akira stiffened again, I saw his hands ball up. "Th…thank you…"
The woman nodded, tears filling her eyes. "You're welcome… you know, all of your old things are still in you and Aki's old room, whenever you wish to come get everything."
"Sooner, rather then later," Mr. Tanaka said, his eyes finally looking past Akira, to the gravestone behind him.
Akira still didn't look at them, only nodding. "I… I'll come soon, I promise…. Sugu, come on, we should leave."
I looked at him incredulously. "But… Akira, we only just-."
"Sugu…" He said, and his sad eyes, his broken eyes were enough to quiet me. He didn't want to be here with these people… I could see it.
Hanuko quickly protested. "Akira, you don't have to leave. Why don't we-."
"Hanuko…" Mr. Tanaka said, and he had the same effect on her as Akira's words had on me.
Hanuko looked at her husband, then back and forth to me and Akira, before a tear rolled down her face. "I'm… sorry, Akira."
"It's okay…" he said, gently holding a hand on my back. "Come on Sugu, let's go."
"Okay…" I said, looking at the two adults, and despite my annoyance with the man, I bowed to them both again. "It was very nice meeting you."
"You to dear, you and your brother… look after him," Hanuko said, a gentle smile on her face, as she went to walk past us both, towards her daughters grave.
"I will… I promise…" I said quietly, as Akira bowed to them both as well.
I was about to pull him to leave, knowing he wanted to leave. But Akira stood there, as Mr. Tanaka went to walk past him.
The older man stopped next to Akira, not even looking at him, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his voice trembling as he spoke.
"It… it should have been you," The man said through his gritted teeth, tears coming down his face now.
My mouth fell open, my chest exploding. I wanted to scream, to do something to make the man pay for saying such a thing to someone I cared so much about, knowing how broken Akira already felt.
But I didn't get a chance, because as he cried now, Akira only nodded.
"I know..."
Mr. Tanaka didn't say anything else, only walking past him. Akira stood there, shaking and it was all I could do to not say what I really wanted to the man who had walked away. I knew Akira wouldn't want that. So, I just went walked over, and I grabbed his trembling arm as gently as I could. After he felt my hand, he jumped, shaking, the tears still silently falling down his face. He looked at me, and it was all I could do, to smile like he always did for my brother and me.
"Come on…lets go," I told him, leading him back the way we came.
Akira was quiet for the walk towards the entrance of the cemetery. We passed a few grieving parents, brothers and sisters along the way, but none of them seemed to think we were out of the ordinary. I didn't dare look back at Akira, because I didn't want to cry myself. It was a sad thing, seeing a person cry for the first time. It hadn't been the first time I saw Akira cry, I saw him crying with my brother that day they woke up in the hospital.
But since then, Akira had been smiling, smiling for his sake, and mine.
"Don't listen to him," I said, trying to turn and smile for him like he always did for me, as we slowly came to a stop under a tree near the cemetery's entrance. "I… don't know much about what happened, and I don't really think I want to know, but I know you… Akira?!"
He had squeezed my hand and stopped. I turned, and saw he wasn't moving, his knees, his arms, they were shaking like a leaf. The cold breeze dried the tears, but they were quickly replaced by new ones, as I grabbed his other hand and stood in front of him. Still, he couldn't look at me, his eyes fell to the ground as he shook his head.
"It… it should have been… it really… really should have been," He said, his hands gripping my sides, before he slowly fell down to his knees again, his hands holding onto mine, as he sobbed, his head towards the ground. "I… I couldn't do anything, I didn't do anything, I.. I let them die! I… I'm nothing, I'm no hero, I-."
He stopped when I fell to my knees with him. I didn't even think before I did, my arms wrapping around my head, as he grabbed onto my coat and started sobbing again. With all I had I wrapped and hugged around his neck, unable for a minute to believe that this was happening. Akira cried and held onto me, and with each sob I felt my heart shatter more and more.
As he did, words came naturally. "You did all you could… you… you did more than you know."
"I didn't… I… I didn't…" He said, sobbing again, his tears falling to the grass beneath us. "I… I was supposed to save them, I wanted to save them. I… I couldn't do anything for them, I couldn't do anything for anyone in the end, I-."
"You did… Akira… you did," I told him, remembering that first day I had seen Kazuto's eyes open up again. "You… you gave me my brother back, that makes you a hero for me, and for him."
"Your brother… your brother has done so much more for me, then I have for him," He said softly, sobbing again and gripping harder on my jacket. "I… I pretend to be strong, I pretend to be that hero that Aki always drew me as, but when she needed her hero, when Kya needed a hero I failed, and now… and now Asuna…."
The way he said Asuna's name, the pain, the torment I heard, it sent shivers down my spine. I didn't know the extent of their relationship, the relationship that girl, my brother and Akira shared… but I knew it was a connection that went deeper then simply friends or comrades.
"I… I can't do anything for her, or your brother now," He said, shaking his head as it was in my shoulder. "I… I can't do anything…"
"You can't give up, not now," I said without thinking, hugging him tighter, as he sobbed again, and finally started wiping his eyes. I looked down… and finally he was looking at me. I didn't hesitate to give him the same smile that he always gave me. "Kazuto told me that… you were the most tenacious person he knows. He said, you never stop when a friends in danger, he said that was his favorite thing about you."
A sniffle came from him, as he wiped his face. "That… that big softy. Well… he's right but… but you've seen it, he knows what my help normally ends up as."
I shook my head, smiling again. "Akira… what do you want to do?"
"What?" He asked me, his voice hesitant.
I gave him a smile again. "What do you want to do? What is your goal right now? It… it's to be there for my brother, and for Asuna, isn't it?"
"Of course, it is," He said, his voice soft as he shook his head. "But I… I don't even know where to start. Kazuto and I we… we've thought it over a hundred times but… but we-."
"Then you find somewhere to start…" I told him, pulling him up to his feet, and even reaching over to wipe the last of his tears with my sleeve. "You… can't change what happened in SAO anymore, but… there's still people out there who need you and rely on you now, me, Kazuto… and Asuna. I… I'd be really upset if you just left us."
His eyes went wide and he grabbed my shoulders. "I… I'm not going anywhere! I'd never leave you guys, I… I don't know where I'd go…"
"Then… are you going to abandon Asuna?" I asked him, smiling as I saw his face change.
He floundered for a minute, before his beautiful smile came back. "No… no I'm not, she was there for me when I needed her… and I'll be there now. Just like I am for your brother… and you to Sugu. I… I know I've only been around a month but… you can always rely on me."
His hand was at the base of my neck as he held onto my shoulder now. I felt the slightest bit of skin on skin contact and went beat red, laughing nervously and smiling at him.
"Hahaha… I… I know I can, you don't know how much it's meant, you being there for my brother, and being there for me," I told him, looking at the ground for a moment, before mustering my courage and smiling up at him. "And now, you go be there for Asuna too!"
"Yeah… thanks Sugu," He told me, moving his hand to finally dry his face, before letting out a shuttering sigh and smiling finally again. "I… I'm sorry I broke down like that, but… thank you, for the pep talk. I… I should probably go give one to your brother at the hospital, come on, let's get going, I'll buy us some udon on the way home before I leave."
He rubbed my head again, and when he did, I annoyingly blushed again.
I nodded after making it go away. "Udon sounds great, I'll start dinner while you guys are gone!"
"Good, your cooking is pretty great," He said with a cheeky smile, before he shook his head. "You know… I was right, you remind me of the best parts of both of them, Aki, and Kya… come on, let's go."
Dammit, my face is going to stay red at this rate, I thought embarrassingly, as I followed him towards the street.
I took a second, and watched him walk from behind, sighing and realizing now, I was starting to finally see what these feelings were deep inside my chest.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Akira
"Still can't believe Asuna was really this well off," I muttered to myself, turning down the hallway with her room in it. "She told me but… I never really believed her. I'll have to send Misumi and Hosaka the address soon."
That had been the first thing Mito asked me when I told her about Asuna, where her hospital was. I had already pulled out my phone when I got to Asuna's door, texting the address to her. A phone was the one thing I conceded for Mr and Mrs. Kiriguya to buy me for obvious reasons, and when I had saw Mito and Argo that morning they had put their numbers in it for me. I had a few messages from them both, and one from Sugu with a list of things she wanted Kirito and I to pick up on the way back home, but I turned it off when I got into the room.
Asuna deserved my attention here.
Despite knowing that fact, all I could think was how I broke down in front of Kirito's sister. I hadn't wanted to, for the last month I'd been trying to avoid it. I knew that at one point I'd finally let it all out, and while I felt bad it had to be Sugu who was with me… I ended up being glad it was. Her kindness and personality was something that reminded me of Aki and Kya both, and with ever day that passed, I appreciated having her in my life more and more.
She was also right. I couldn't give up on Asuna now. I knew what Kirito was thinking, what was going through his mind, and I couldn't abandon him and tap out now when he was at his lowest. No, that was what friends did, they picked each other up when they were down, and helped them carry on.
Kirito and Asuna had done that for me in Aincrad, I'd do it for them now.
"Please, tell me you've eaten something," I said, walking past the curtain into the room, sure enough to see Kirito holding Asuna's hand at her bedside, his face wet.
"Huh?!" He said, his head shooting up from the bed, his eyes falling again when he saw me. "Oh… sorry Akira, what did you say?"
I sighed and pulled the bottle of water from the bag of snacks I bought. He caught it just barely when I tossed it at him, before I walked over next to him and placed down two granola bars and a bag of chips.
"You forget to eat when you're here sometimes," I told him, walking back over to Asuna's other side, and looking out over my best friend. "You need every meal you can get…. Afternoon… Lightning Flash…"
Asuna hadn't changed like I expected. She was rail thin like Kirito and I had been when we woke up, her long orange hair down past her waist now. It was a shock when we first visited, not seeing her in her white and red armor, ready to unsling her rapier. Kirito had told me what happened after Heathcliff had killed me in our duel.
People on the SAO survivor's website, were calling Kirito and I heroes… but the truth was if not for Asuna, we'd all still be trapped.
The girl who'd saved me, gave me a place to sleep and reason to live after the biggest tragedy of my life… was still unconscious. She was still suffering in whatever cyber hell her mind was trapped in, and we weren't able to do anything about it.
Not yet… we'll find a way, I thought, looking over to see Kirito sigh and pull the cap off the water bottle. Sure enough he downed the whole thing.
"I'm… sorry for making you worry," He told me, meeting my eyes over Asuna's bed. "I… I really haven't been much help the last month have I?"
I shook my head, my cheeks still damp from crying earlier with Sugu. "You're wrong. You've been up, active, you've connected with your sister again… Asuna would be happy about that."
The words were the wrong ones, because his face only fell back on her. I was waiting for him to try and argue with me on it, but he didn't. He only sighed and started eating the chips, nodding his thanks as he did. I sat there listening to him munch on chips, and just looked at Asuna for what felt like hours. We normally didn't talk much when we were visiting her, Kirito and I, and I didn't mind. This was about just being there for her, when she eventually opened her eyes.
"So… what was it you had to do?" He asked, looking away from Asuna and back at me.
I leaned back on my chair, and actually felt a bit embarrassed. How was I supposed to tell my best-friend I had a mental breakdown and had to be comforted by his little sister? I knew deep down he wouldn't care, but it still wasn't exactly something I wanted to talk about with him. So I decided to leave out that part, Sugu had already promised she'd keep it between us.
"Well, first Sugu put me through a kendo match," I told him, leaning back in the fluffy chair they had in the room, still wincing from the endeavor. "She's the real deal let me tell you… and all that gear? It's so heavy, I don't know how she wears it all."
He actually chuckled. "Ha… still not used to being so slow huh?"
"You bet, and I never will be. I told Mito and Argo the same thing earlier," I told him, leaning my arms forward on the bed. "They both told me that… well they'll do anything they can to help, all we gotta do is ask. They'll both probably come visit soon too."
A small smile came across his face. "That's good. Did you… talk things over with Mito?"
My arms tingled. "We… talked. I… don't know if anything else will happen between us but either way, she's important to me. And… I know Asuna would love to have her here too."
"She would…" Kirito said, looking back at her. "And, what did you do after your kendo match?"
I finally froze up again. "I… I went to visit Kya."
I left out the parts about meeting the Tanaka's, this moment wasn't about my problems and worries.
He went wide eyed and shook his head. "I'm sorry… Akira, if you had told me, I would have gone with you like I normally-."
"No, it's okay don't worry, I wouldn't pull you away from Asuna," I told him, a cheeky smile coming to my face. "Besides, your little sister took your place valiantly."
"Sugu went with you? That's good then…" He said, a small smile coming to his face as he looked over at me. "She's… got a way with people. You two have gotten pretty close the last month."
That brought a reaction out of me I wasn't expecting. My chest thumped a little harder, and my face felt a little warmer. I knew of course he wasn't trying to imply anything more then what he said, but still… we… have gotten pretty close, haven't we?
I decided to be honest. "We have yeah… she's great, really great. I'm glad that I got to stay with you guys, to meet her."
"You're one of us," He said without a second thought, nodding at me for reaffirmation. "You always will be."
That was something I knew was the case… but still it felt great to hear. Smiling at him, I nodded, and reached over to adjust Asuna's pillows under her Nerve Gear, before walking over to the window and leaning up against the window, looking out at the rows of parked cars and distant skyline of Tokyo.
The world was real, and I still had a hard time believing that somedays. I half expected to see my HP bar in the top left corner of my vision whenever I woke up in the morning, I was confused at times when I didn't see little green, orange or red markers above peoples head. My shoulders felt light without the Black Bow of Fate slung over it, or the Sword of Takis at my waist.
I almost missed the NPC music that played in every tavern for almost two years, and it was odd to me whenever I realized I couldn't have any ale or alcohol yet.
But… Kirito was there, Mito, Argo, I knew Liz, Silica, Agil and Klein were out there, getting their lives together again before we met up. Everyone was here. Except for Asuna, and it just wasn't complete without her.
"…Akira?" Kirito asked me, looking up from the bedside.
Are you just going to abandon Asuna? Sugu had asked me.
No, she never did, Kirito and I will never do that for her, I thought, turning to Kirito and smiling.
"Kirito, we're going to get Asuna back," I told him, the smile returning to my face, as I looked over at our still asleep friend. "We'll save her from wherever she is!"
Kirito floundered. "A…Akira, we've tried…. We… we tried logging onto the old servers, we've looked into every report of people not waking up, we don't have anywhere to start!"
"Then we'll make a way to start," I said, stepping over to him. "Kirito, Asuna and 300 others not waking up can't be a coincidence, something's going on and we need to find out what!"
"Kikuoka told us he was looking into it…" Kirito said, shaking his head. "If even he can't find anything with his connections… what are we going to do?"
"Kikuoka wasn't there, he wasn't in Aincrad, he didn't speak to Kayaba," I said, meeting his eyes and holding out my hand. "I don't care what he says, I'm going to find a way… if you don't want to help me, I understand. This hurts Kirito, believe me I know… but I can't do this without you, I'll try but I know I can't… are we just going to abandon her now? Come on, lets save your wife, Kazuto."
Kirito's eyes went wide, small tears falling down his face as he looked at my hand. I knew what he was thinking, I had been experiencing it so much myself.
Back in Aincrad, we were powerful, we could do anything there. Now, in the real world? We were just kids, we were Akira and Kazuto, not the Black Storm Duo.
Only he's wrong… we are still those people, and we'll realize it, I said, as I watched him shakily sigh and wipe his eyes, before going to reach for my hand.
"Okay…" He said, still sounding uncertain. "But I… I don't-."
"Ah, Kazuto, Akira, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were both here," A deeper voice said, and Kirito and spun around to see two men coming into the room. "Thank you both for coming."
One we recognized.
"Mr. Yuki," Kirito said, standing up next to me, and we both bowed. "It's… good to see you sir. I hope it's okay we're here."
"Likewise," I said to reaffirm. "It's no problem at all, we'd be here every day if we could."
Asuna's father wasn't exactly what I had expected. She had told me he was a tech mogul like Kya's dad, but I expected someone with more energy and smiles, someone who well… acted more like Asuna, since she'd told me plenty of times what her mother was like. But no, Mr. Yuki was a taller man with receeding brown hair, and sad eyes.
I can't blame him… we only knew Asuna two years, he raised her, I thought, as her father set the flowers he'd brought down and smiled at us.
"Please, don't apologize, you can both visit whenever you like," He said, with a deep sigh, looking down at his daughter. "I know it would make her happy."
Naturally when Kirito and I first figured out where Asuna was staying, we had met her family. Her mother was just like Asuna had described, but her older brother was a really good person, who Kirito and I still got emails from on occasion.
The government for now wanted to keep everything that happened in SAO under wraps, until the survivors could get their lives back together. However, the families of the victims naturally deserved to know what had happened. Mr and Mrs. Kiriguya knew what Kirito and I had to do in Aincrad. Sugu hadn't wanted to read the dossier, so she still didn't know much except for the small tidbits I let her in on. Still, Kirito and I both agreed to tell her as little as possible, it wasn't stuff she needed to know, she also didn't seem to want to learn.
It was also hard for us to relive some of it, especially with Asuna how she was.
Asuna's family, however, did read through the dossier. They knew that Kirito and Asuna had been married, and I'd been there best-friend. They knew all three of us had helped beat Kayaba and end the game. Kikuoka had told us it would probably be about a year before the information was made public with books of some kind, but still, a few people knew now.
I wouldn't deny it felt good, seeing the emails Kirito and I got from other survivors, thanking us for being the heroes who ended the game and got them home.
The thanks were appreciated, and it made me feel good yes… but I knew that Kirito and I both still felt like we failed, because of Asuna and 300 others still being trapped.
"Sir," The second man who had been lingering near the door said, coming into the room.
Something felt like it was crawling up my skin when I saw the skinny man before me. He looked like he had to only be in his early twenties, with glasses and slicked back hair. Nobody else seemed to catch it, but I did. I knew it had nothing to do with me formerly having basically magic eyes due to my maxed-out perception in Aincrad, but I found myself seeing much better since I had woken back up.
The look on the man's face behind his glasses when he first looked at Asuna, before looking over at Mr. Yuki, Kirito and me… it sent chills down my spine.
"Oh, I don't believe the two of you have met," Mr. Yuki said, smiling as he gestured towards the man. "This is Sugou, he's our company's director of RnD."
"I'm Nobuyuki Sugou," The man said, sounding kind enough as he bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."
I considered myself a polite enough person, at least I thought, however, the look I'd seen in his eyes was stuck on my head. Kirito however, didn't see that look, and after a moment of shock, introduced himself.
"Oh, I'm, Kazuto Kiriguya," He said, before looking to me.
Chewing the inside of my lip I nodded. "And I'm Akira Miller."
Suddenly, the man's eyes went wide, and he stormed over to us, an enthusiastic smile on his face. He didn't even ask before grabbing Kirito's hand first, and then mine with his other, shaking them both with more vigor then I'd seen in a while.
"You're the Kirito, and The Black Archer, Akira! You're the heroes of Aincrad," He said, letting our hands go and bowing again. "It is an honor to meet you both."
Something about the way he said honor rubbed me the wrong way, and I know normally Kirito would pick up on it too. However, I knew his mind was too scattered right now, so I put up defenses for both of us.
"We're not really heroes," I said, pretending to be bashful, looking down at Asuna. "And if we are, Asuna deserves that title too, we beat the game together the three of us."
Kirito nodded quickly as well. "Yeah… he's right."
Sugou faltered for a second, and that really caught my attention. He probably had assumed Kirito and I were just silly kids who wouldn't notice his eyes, but he was woefully wrong.
Kirito and I had been through more then this man, and just about any had been in their entire lives.
Mr. Yuki stammered and shook his head. "Oh I'm sorry, forgive me. I know we're not supposed to talk about what happened inside the SAO server, but he's my partners son, so it's okay. Besides, I've always considered him to be a part of my family."
If I was in an anime, this would have been the part where the main characters eyes lit up white as they realized something. Kirito like I had observed, had his mind still in a jumble. I was learning as the days went on, he simply didn't feel or act the same in the real world as opposed to a virtual one. It was something I needed to work on with him, but now wasn't a good time.
I'll worry about that later… what's this guy thinking, I said, crossing my arms next to Kirito, my eyes drifting to the man.
Sugou noticed, I could see it in the corner of his eye he saw me glaring at him. The corner of his lip slightly moved upwards into a smirk, but it went away, and I don't think Mr. Yuki, Kirito or anyone else noticed it.
"Speaking of family, if I may," He said, bowing at Mr. Yuki. "I'd like to make it official, as soon as possible."
Mr. Yuki looked shocked. "I… this is sudden, are you sure this is really what you want? I mean, you're still young, you have your entire life ahead of you?"
"Thank you for your concern," The man said, and I could feel the twisted nature seeping out of his voice despite his smile. "But my heart is set on it. It sounds strange, but even though she's like this she's still beautiful. I'd… like to see her in that wedding dress."
No… no, no, no… not that, I thought, my skin crawling like thousand tiny rats were rushing towards my chest. My hand twitched, and I had to grab it with my other one to stop myself, my mind right away starting to work, relax for now Akira, look at Kirito.
Next to me, Kirito seemed ever worse off. His eyes had gone wide, and it looked like he was about to choke. I looked down at his hand next to mine, covered from view by Asuna's bed, and right away I grabbed his wrist in an iron grip to stop him from doing anything he may regret.
But that was hard, considering the burning anger that raged inside my chest like a furnace. The only time I remembered being so angry, had been when I saw Laughing Coffin again on floor 19, ready to throw myself at them in order to take them and myself out of the real and virtual world.
Asuna and Kirito were there for you then, you need to do it for them, I told myself, squeezing Kirito's wrist to stop him from shaking.
But that was so, so hard, because I was just as angry as he was. I knew what he was doing now, because I saw Sugou look at us both out the corner of his eye. The sick bastard had been delighted learning Kirito and I were here.
"The sooner we prepare ourselves for the inevitable… the better," Mr. Yuki said, and to my surprise, I found myself sorrier for him then anyone else in the room.
He thought Asuna wasn't going to make it, he thought his daughter was going to die. He surely thought then that she was letting his child marry her childhood friend before she passed away. Of course, that still wasn't okay, but the man surely had so many emotions flowing through his head, that he wasn't thinking straight at all.
Mr, Yuki looked at the clock, then us with a grim smile. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but… I have a meeting to attend. Kazuto, Akira, thank you again for coming, please, come and have dinner with us one night, we'd love to hear more of your memories with Asuna."
Kirito, I knew wasn't going to talk, so I did. "Of course, thank you Mr. Yuki."
As I watched Mr. Yuki walk out of the hospital room, I already started thinking ahead, despite the shaking of my hands, and trembling in my chest. My mind worked fast… but all I could do, was look at poor Kirito next to me, his back hunched, his hands on the sides of Asuna's bed, as Sugou looked over us.
I reached up, and I grabbed his shoulder to steady him before he could fall, unable to find any words to comfort him.
"So, I believe if I heard correct, you Kirito and Asuna were lovers in the game," Sugou said, condescension in his voice as he walked to the other side of the bed.
He already knew the answer, and he was making eye contact with me the entire time.
A shot of anger went up my chest, he can see it, he can see Kirito's even more erratic then me right now, he's targeting him, that sick bastard. I'll show him.
Kirito, however, to my surprise managed to speak. "Yes… yes we were."
Sugou nodded, smirking as he looked up at me. "And… you? Black Archer?"
I walked around, to the foot of Asuna's bed, never breaking eye contact with the man as I did. My feet planted firmly at the front of her bed, the idea of him alone on the other side making my skin crawl.
"I was her best-friend, she saved my life," I told the man, hiding my anxiety and worry behind the fake mask of confidence in my voice. "I considered it my job to beat the ever-living hell out of all the creeps who tried to make passes at her, before she met Kirito that is."
"Oh, you're a confident child aren't you?" He said, as he smirked, and then leaned down towards Asuna's bed. "If that's the case, there's going to be quite the complicated relationship between the three of us… yes… very much so."
And then, he reached down, taking strands of Asuna's hair in his hands, and bringing it up to his nose.
Kirito's arms looked like they were going to move, but mine did before him. I may have been slower then I was in Aincrad, but that didn't mean I was slow.
"If you put your filthy hands on her again," I told him, my hand shooting out to grab the wrist of the hand holding Asuna's hair, "I'm going to break your entire arm you freak."
The tension in the room shot up like a thermostat in the summer. Sugou didn't make a move to get out of my grip, even when I yanked his hand away from Asuna on the bed. I didn't know where the strength came from, but my muscles felt like they were on fire. In front of his face, I held the man's wrist there. I didn't know if he was simply weak enough for my still frail body to hold him, or if it was just his shock.
Kirito went to reach his hand over, but I could see his face was frozen, his eyes watery as he didn't know what to do.
Finally, Sugou scoffed, meeting my eyes. "Is that a threat, little boy?"
"It's a promise," I told him, before he chuckled and ripped his wrist away from my hand.
Giyu always tells me, strength isn't an entire fight, all you gotta do is twist the right way and someone's arm will break, I thought seething, the words of the gyms martial arts instructor fresh in my brain from the morning.
Was I really about to try and fight the man Asuna's father had brought? The much taller and more fit adult in the room?
I would, even if I lost, for Asuna I'd do a lot more.
"You… are very entertaining, Akira Miller," He said, pulling his arm away, and looking between both Kirito and me again, his smirk still there. "As I'm sure you both realized. Her father and I were discussing her marriage… to me."
His tongue darted out of his mouth like a snake. If I had learned anything, anyone who did that was either a sick perv, or an anime villain.
But I didn't care what he was then.
Kirito finally managed to speak. "No way… you can't do that!"
"He's right you sick freak," I told him, not moving an inch from my spot next to the man. "Someone in her state can't give consent to marry anyone!"
"Ah, you both have a point," The man said, as it looked like for a moment he was going to sit down, but when he looked at me he decided against it. "Sure, we can't legally marry. But, if the Yuki family adopts me it'll be as if we are, on paper that is, just like we're married. The truth is she's always hated me, ever since we were kids, neither mine or-."
"Gee, let me take a guess as to why," I said, taking a step towards the man again. "Is it because you look like Slenderman if he was $50,000 in debt? Or because you're so terrible at talking to women, you have a history of feeling up unconscious women?"
Kirito's eyes went wide as he looked at me, choking on his words.
Sugou to his credit, didn't back down from me. "It makes sense a child like you resorts to petty insults. You know, if she was awake you're right, she'd probably say no… but now, this situation for me is very… favorable."
I looked at his hand heading to touch Asuna's cheek again, and I was ready to make good on my promise, but Kirito finally beat me to it. He'd come around the other side of the bed next to me, and grabbed hold of the man's arm, yanking it back from Asuna.
"Stop it, now," Kirito hissed, and just for a moment, I saw The Black Swordsman's anger return. "Who the hell do you think you are? You can't take advantage of Asuna like this, we won't let you."
"Ha… you brats need to learn some manners," He said, yanking his arm away from Kirito, smirking as he stood up in front of us again. "Taking advantage? If anything, I have the right to her."
"You don't have a right to anyone you sicko," I told him, this time, Kirito had to grab my arm to stop me from closing the distance.
"The tact of a wild boar, why don't I explain?" He said, fixing his glasses as he looked down on us both. "Do you have any idea what happened to Argus, the company who manufactured SAO?"
"They… they were sold off," Kirito hissed out again.
"Very good!" Sugou said with a condescending tone. "The lawsuits and PR got to them, took their toll. Forced them to bankruptcy… but the maintenance of the SAO server was given to another company, an electronics manufacturer, where Asuna's father is the CEO, REKT progress, with me heading the companies RnD division, so…. You could say that I am the one keeping Asuna alive right now."
The realization hit me like a brick. For weeks Kirito and I had been searching for an answer, an answer as to how so many people could still be unconscious, their Nerve Gear still running to keep them trapped.
We hadn't thought for a minute that it was because the SAO server was still up.
"You… it was you, you sick bastard," I spit out, my arm shaking like a leaf as I looked up at him, spitting as I yelled. "You're the one who's keeping all those people trapped! How the hell could you do something like that, what's wrong with you?!"
Sugou threw his head back and laughed, his head falling back right in front of mine. "You could not fathom the debts of my ambition's you child. But still… don't you think in exchange for keeping her alive, I'm entitled to a little compensation?"
Kirito next to me had froze again, my body continued to shake, but it was nothing compared to him. He was unable to move, stuck in place with silent tears coming down his eyes, and his arms like small tree branches. Meanwhile, Sugou looked down at me, that arrogant punchable face inches from mine.
"You can't expect to get away with this you freak," I spat back out, my eyes locking with his. "You're insane if you think Kirito and I won't go do something about it."
"HA, and what will you do boy? Who will you tell?" He said, his mask of calm breaking as his eyes went wide and he tried not to cackle. "Who will the Yuki's believe, you, or me?! What will you tell the police? Do you have any evidence, do you have lawyers? Now, you both may have been heroes in the virtual world, but it's time for you both to come back to reality."
I wanted to say something else back, but it was as if I'd become mute. All I did was sit there with my shaking fists, as a million thoughts ran through my brain.
He… he's right, who can we tell? Not her parents, her brother? No, it's the same situation… how… how can we…
Are you just going to abandon Asuna now? Sugu's words earlier in the day brought me back to reality, as Sugou smirked and walked back to Asuna's bedside.
"I don't know what promises you all made in that silly game and I don't are. I don't wish to see either of you in this hospital room again," He said, and that was when I saw his hand move towards her again. "We're having the ceremony here on January 26th, one week from now today, save the date, you should both come and-."
I won't abandon you, or Kirito when he needs me. No… not after you both saved me, I'll do anything, and most importantly, I won't let us lose to a creep like this!
"ARGHHHHHHH!" "AKIRA!"
The takedown was a simple one, one that the massive Giyu had taught me my very first week of lessons with him, a takedown I knew well since Giyu used it on me almost every morning.
My arm wrapped around the man's neck just as his hand touched Asuna's hair, he was so surprised that even if he was stronger and larger then I was I got the him to the ground. After my arm went around his neck, my leg swept him off his feet and he fell to the ground on his stomach.
He tried to get up, but my knee fell into the center of his back smacking him back to the ground. His face hit against the floor and his glasses fell off his face, blood dripping from his nose. He tried to flail his arms back, but I grabbed it, pressing down harder with my knee and with every muscle fiber I had that I'd been training every day for the last month, I twisted his arm upwards behind his back and yanked as hard as I could upwards.
Sugou screamed, and it gave me the smallest bit of satisfaction behind the bubbling pot of anger boiling over in my stomach.
It was Kirito who got me off him before security came, but after living on the streets for so long, you knew a broken arm when you saw it on someone.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"And you are hereby no longer welcome on the premises…" I read, yawning and sipping out of my coffee mug as I made my way upstairs. "Eh, worth it."
The mail had come early that day, and I decided if there was ever a day to take off from the gym it would be today. The letter banning me from Asuna's hospital however, was the least of my concerns. I was lucky enough to not get charges pressed against me. I had to give it to Sugou, he was so dedicated to the 'perfect soon to be son in law' act with Mr. Yuki, he told Asuna's father and more importantly the police he didn't wish to press charges.
Despite how satisfying it was seeing him leave in a sling… there's more important things to worry about now, I thought as I got to the top of the steps.
You can't give up, not now. Then… are you going to abandon Asuna? Sugu's words were all I could think about that morning.
And, thinking of that moment yesterday, it made me feel warm, really warm. I had been on the edge again, almost unable to keep up my mask of strength for everyone. Of course, it would start cracking again eventually, probably soon… but for now, I couldn't be more grateful for Suguha Kiriguya. Thinking about her made me smile then, as I turned to the hallway with her and Kazuto's room.
Huh, I wonder where she is anyway, she's normally up practicing by now especially on the weekend, I thought as I passed her room.
I shook the thoughts from my head. Sugu was important of course, but right now, I needed to focus on what the real problem was.
How to wake Asuna up.
"The only way to stop this, is if she wakes up…" I thought as I approached Kirito's door and went to knock. "If it's REKT who has her, where did they do with the SAO server? Wait… if we can't find her in the real world… maybe we could-. GAH!"
"GAHH!" A screaming, red-faced Sugu said coming out of Kirito's room in her red pajamas.
I recovered from the mini heart attack and looked at her. "Jeez Sugu you scared the hell out of me. I got worried you didn't wake up."
She stammered as she looked at me. "Ak…Akira! It… it's not… no, I swear no I-."
"Don't worry about it," I said, smiling at her, stuffing my hands in my hoodie pocket, before laughing nervously. "I… I'm actually glad I saw you. Thanks again, for yesterday, it really helped. Maybe later as thanks I could… wait, what are you doing in Kazuto's-."
"I… I GOTTA GO!" She yelled, rushing past me, and first going towards the dead end of the hallway, before I saw her red face retreat into her room.
"O…. kay," I said with a shake of my head.
A laugh came from Kirito's room. "Ha, still as weird as I remember…"
I turned to look into his room and saw Kirito sitting on his bed, a smile on his face, and that made my eyes go wide. Laughing, I closed the door behind me and walked into his room, my arms crossed as I stood in front of him.
"Ha… you look a little better then yesterday," I told him. "Sleep well?"
"You could say that" He said, sighing as he looked down between his legs. "Akira I… I wanted to say, well… thanks."
"Thanks?" I asked him, no idea what he could be talking about.
He sighed again and looked up at me, and then stood. "I… know you've been putting off your own grief for my sake the last month. Been well… trying to stay strong for my sake."
I waved it off and reached a handout to his shoulder. "Don't even think about it. We're family, right? That's what family does for each other."
"Yeah…" He said, looking down again. "But, that's a two way street, so, let me apologize for it, for being so gone. I… I know now, that if we want Asuna back, we can't give up, she wouldn't do that for us."
My mouth fell open for a second, as my thoughts drifted back to Sugu who had run out red faced, and I connected the dots.
I chuckled. "Ha… it's okay. That's a different tune then you had yesterday… Sugu does got a way with words, doesn't she?"
"Yeah… she does, she's a lot smarter then I remember," He joked, before his head pulled up and he met my eyes, holding out his hand. "So… what do you say, Black Archer? Will… you help me figure out how to put a stop to this?"
I looked at his outstretched hands, and I remembered over a year ago, when he had stretched it out to me like that after we fought off Laughing Coffin. After Kirito had saved me, after only knowing me for day, and me lying to him the entire time.
My family.
"Ha, you don't even have to ask," I said, as we did our handshake, the smile growing on my face. "Looks like the Black Storm Duo is back in action!"
Kirito scoffed as we walked over towards his computer. "I thought you hated that nickname?"
I shrugged. "It grew on me, Argo's persuasive."
"That she is… speaking of them," Kirito said, falling into his computer chair as I sat on his bed, his hand holding his chin. "We may need her help, and Misumi's too. Nobody's better at getting information then Argo, and Misumi's a pro-level gamer, she knows things and people."
"Right," I told him, as he turned on his computer. "I was thinking, we should start with investigating a little more about REKT, I thought, if we can't find Asuna here, maybe-."
A beeping cut me off, and we both looked over to see an email notification pop up on his desktop. Kirito slid his chair in, and I walked up next to him to look.
"Who's it from?" I asked him, looking over his shoulder.
"Agil…" Kirito said, shaking his head. "Subject: LOOK HERE! What could he… wh… what?! Akira… do… do you see….please… please tell me you do."
My mouth fell open, my heart all but stopping in my chest. "Yeah… I see it…"
Asuna… where are you?
Next Time, Episode 2: The Land of the Fairies: After figuring out the horrible fate that befell Asuna after SAO was defeated, Kirito and Akira have found a possible lead as to her whereabouts. After Agil shows them pictures of a player who looks just like her in a game called Alfhiem Online, it's time for Kirito and Akira to strap on their Nerve Gears once again to explore the Land of the Fairies. Meanwhile, Suguha works through the conflicting feelings she's beginning to feel every time she comes home, luckily for her, she had a great outlet to forget about things, what could that outlet be?
A/N: Hello everybody and welcome to SAO Akira's Arrows FAIRY DANCE! Now, first off, for anyone who's new to this story and hasn't read the previous book, which contained the Aincrad Arc, be sure to check it out! You should be alright if you don't want to read it, but there's some things that may not make sense in here if you haven't read it, mainly Akira's backstory, all his trauma started in SAO, his bond with Kirito and Asuna formed in SAO, so I definitely recommend checking that out!
But of course, if you're new, WELCOME! Tell me what you think and what brought you here to this story!
Now, onto the chapter itself, I have been so excited to write back in the real world for so long. It may be an unpopular SAO opinion, but I love reading about stuff back in the real world just as much as the in game stuff, I love seeing how SAO and other ingame incidents affect everyone in the real world, so in this story we're going to get a taste of what Akira, Kirito, Sugu and Asuna all have to go through after the horrible events of SAO.
As for the story itself, there's going to be a few changes to Fairy Dance, but I DO love the original story, so we're going to see how Akira affects it! Obviously the biggest change is going to be from Leafa/Suguha! In this story, it's Akira who captures her heart in the real world and game, and her journey will be a little more different.
I can't wait to get forward with Fairy Dance, BUT if you all have read before, you know what I'm really excited for is the Phantom Bullet Arc and GunGale, since we're meeting the one who I decided on as Akira's ship for this series, Sinon/Shino. Still, that doesn't mean I'm not REALLY excited to show you Fairy Dance!
SO, please, please leave a review to tell me what you think, and I hope you're all ready for Akira and Kirito's next journey!
