Okay, next chapter... which - once again - turned out to be unexpectedly long. Well, there's no helping it.
I'm not sure if "Calm Before the Storm" is a suitable title for this chapter. I'd say it sounds more dramatic than it actually is, but I had no idea what to name it, so...
This chapter includes the first "real" flashback, which should be marked properly, so the change of scenery shouldn't be confusing. Whether it's a good addition to this chapter... may lie in the eye of the beholder. For now, it's mostly a little experiment. The flashback will be about the poker event from HF, although I've changed several showdowns.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sword Art Online Re:Hollow Fragment or Sword Art Online in general.
The next morning, Sinon found herself standing at the edge of the Fields of War on the 95th floor again. Aside from her, there were Akinym, Klein and Fuurinkazan, Kem'Pal and its lizardmen escort and Silica. They were waiting for the last group to arrive so that they could begin.
The group was more or less ready to go. Kem'Pal had brought the "tooth of a lizardman" that they needed. The lizardman general had supposedly taken it from a fallen comrade, stating that it was okay if "it served the purpose of winning the war". The tooth of a goblin, on the other hand, had been acquired by Akinym and Sinon as a drop from a random goblin monster.
Silica was ready, too. She had already put Pina into her inventory, and she held the anti-fire potion in her hand. Now, she was staring at the two oxen, which just stood on the field, minding their own business. Silica was visibly nervous, and she gave of the impression that she wished they could already start and get this over with.
Sinon: Hey, Silica, don't be so tense! You look as if you're about to run off and get started at any second.
Silica: Huh, S-sinon-san? [dejectedly] W-was it that obvious?
Sinon: Well, pretty much…
Silica hung her head and sighed in defeat… and witnessing her depressed state, Sinon could barely suppress a wry smile.
Sinon: Hey, don't take it so to heart! I mean, you have an important job today, one you haven't done in a long while.
Silica: Well, yes… I'm not sure if Gozu and Ushi will trust me the same way Pina did…
Sinon [slightly taken aback]: Wait a second… Gozu and Ushi?!
Silica: Um, yes… If I want the two of them to come with me, I should treat them properly, right? The least I should do is to give them names. [slightly awkwardly] I… also gave Pina her name before befriending her.
Sinon: Well, if that's how you roll… [exasperatedly] But "Gozu" and "Ushi"?! Really?! Couldn't you think of… I don't know, anything better? Like, literally anything else?!
Silica [dejectedly, slightly apologetically]: I couldn't think of anything! When I named Pina, I used the name of my cat because I had to think of her when searching for a pet in SAO, but this time, I had no idea what names to choose!
Sinon could only sigh in response. There were times when she really didn't know what to do with her friends. Well, Silica was at least somewhere around the bottom of the "troublemaker list", which was, by the way, dominated by Kirito and Klein.
At the same time, Silica slouched her shoulders.
Silica: I know that their names aren't dignified… [mutters] It's really not going according to plan. Here I wanted to be strong and dependable, but not only am I so nervous, I even let it show like a little kid…
Sinon [worriedly]: Hey, no need to feel so down about it! As I said, you have an important job here, so of course there's a lot of pressure.
Silica: Well, yeah, but others can deal with that so easily… I mean, Asuna-san can lead a large, important guild like the KoB and even an entire raid party during a floor boss battle with such confidence, and Kirito-san is so strong and always knows what to do when we do a quest!
Sinon: I'm not sure if these two are a standard you should go by, Silica. I mean, they aren't long-time absolute top players for nothing. [slightly reassuringly] Besides, you've seen that Asuna can get overwhelmed by her responsibilities, too, right? And Kirito… [exasperatedly] I don't know, I think he's such a seemingly unreliable goofball most of the time that the universe has to balance that out by making him the hero of the hour whenever it really, really counts…
Silica couldn't help but smile wryly for a moment. However, her expression became serious – but also a bit sad – again quickly.
Silica: Maybe, but I still want to become someone Kirito-san and the others can depend on! [determinedly] I mean, Leafa-san may have her rare moments of insecurity, [determinedly, slightly annoyed] but whenever she faces a challenge, that makes way for raw determination, [mutters] and I can't allow myself to lose to that! [says aloud, determinedly] Oh, and you, too, Sinon-san!
Sinon [surprised]: Huh? Me?
Silica [nods vigorously]: Whenever you take aim with your bow, you always look so determined and composed! It's already amazing that you got a Unique Skill, Sinon-san, but the way you can use it… It's just like Kirito-san and his Dual Wielding! You look so cool whenever you're using it!
For a moment, Sinon could only stare at Silica in bewilderment. The way the other girl was complimenting her was so passionate that it made Sinon feel a bit awkward. At the same time, Silica's eyes shone with such sincerity that Sinon would've downright felt bad if she had turned down the compliment.
Now that Sinon thought about it, she remembered how Kirito had once said that when she was fighting with her bow, she looked so strong-willed and focused that he'd feel bad for interrupting her for whatever reason. At first, Sinon hadn't really believed it, but when she had told Akinym, who should know better than anyone if that description fit her, about it later, he had said that he could understand the notion.
Nevertheless, Sinon still had the feeling that Silica's picture of her was a bit exaggerated. She thought about what to say in that regard for a moment, and while doing that, she sat down on a nearby boulder and looked into the distance.
Sinon: I don't know about that. I mean, yeah, normally, I'm confident in my aim and my abilities, but… when I absolutely have to hit my mark, it makes me feel nervous. I guess it's only natural. I mean, when I fight with Akinym-san, and I have to take out a target before it can hit him, that makes me feel extremely tense. It's only worse when we fight with a large group, like our training with Ascending Moon, or raid parties. It was particularly bad during the boss battle on the ninety-third floor.
The floor boss of the 93rd floor, the Lava Creeper, had been a giant spider monster. One of its gimmicks was its insane accuracy, which, combined with its naturally powerful blows, had been a serious threat, which had put even the Assault Team's elite tanks in a bind, since the boss had always spotted openings and aimed for weak spots.
As the Assault Team had discovered beforehand, the Lava Creeper's eyes could be destroyed, which would lower its accuracy. The only difficulty was their high position, so that only long-ranged weapons or polearms with sufficient reach could deal damage to them. In addition, the boss had obviously fought back, so attacking from close range had been extremely difficult, especially since aiming at the boss' eyes had been hard enough to begin with, and regular throwing weapons didn't deal much damage.
Unsurprisingly, they had come to the conclusion that Sinon's archery might save the day, so she and Akinym had participated in that battle. It had been their first floor boss battle since the Foul Emperor, so Sinon had been uneasy in the first place, and the additional pressure coming from this important role… Whenever Sinon had missed, she had cursed under her breath, even if just a little.
In the end, Sinon had the feeling that Asuna had contributed more to her job than she had herself. That was because Asuna had coordinated the raid party to lure the Lava Creeper into a suitable position and to attack its legs simultaneously so that the boss' AI was too occupied with defense to try dodging Sinon's shots. That way, the boss battle had gone relatively smoothly.
Silica had also participated in that battle, so she had a rough idea as to what Sinon was talking about.
Sinon: Of course a shot is hard if it carries the weight of lives. [contemplatively, slightly dejectedly] That is, if you really understand what you're doing… [slightly frustrated] A-anyway, let's not get off track! [slightly contemplatively] I think what you should really keep in mind is that taking a hurdle which actually posed a challenge is all the more meaningful. In the end, if you weren't so nervous right now, it might make you more dependable, but it would also mean that you couldn't prove your actual strength by fulfilling your task. After all, what would it prove to do something you can do without problem anyway?
Sinon gave Silica a gentle, encouraging smile when she said the last line… and she was a bit taken aback when Silica stared at her in awe. Oddly enough, Sinon had given Silica even more reason for admiration. Silica thought that what Sinon had said and the way she had said it were extremely mature.
Sinon didn't realise that, at least not right away, so she wondered what might've caused Silica's reaction. When she went through her monologue in her head again, Sinon caught on to something completely different.
Wasn't what she had said more or less what Akinym had told her in a similar situation? If she remembered correctly, his actual line had gone into the direction of "not struggling isn't the same as strength, and struggling isn't the same as weakness; struggling and coming through in the end is true strength".
This realisation caught Sinon a bit by surprise. Sure, back when Akinym had said that, she could somehow see his point, but… How should she put it? She hadn't felt it. Deep down, she hadn't been okay with her problems with… anything, actually, be it her prowess in this game, her unpleasant memories or anything else.
When she had relayed this message to Silica now, however, Sinon had meant it. She could tell that much, and it showed her that she had also come to terms with her insecurities and shortcomings. Well, kind of. Her resolve to overcome them didn't waver. She had merely accepted that doing so wouldn't be easy.
Still… Sinon had to acknowledge that the way she thought about these things had changed since she had ended up in SAO, and it wasn't just that. Even without much thinking, Sinon could tell that her general outlook – whether it was on life or a lot of other things – had changed. As far as she could tell, it had changed for the better.
While reflecting on all of that, Sinon's mind drifted to a certain memory from the time shortly after her arrival in Aincrad.
On some day in the middle of November 2024
From Sinon's perspective, it had been an ordinary day, and she normally would've spent it ordinarily… inside her inn room. Alas, Asuna was having none of it. "You're staying cooped up in your room again?!" she had said. "It's okay not to leave town, but you can at least spend your time among people!" she had said. Sinon couldn't help but wonder… Was this girl her mom or what? Well, not that her actual mother would've ever said something like that to her…
Regardless, Asuna was dragging Sinon downstairs, and between Asuna's determination and Sinon's thought that it would be extremely impolite to tell the girl, who essentially let her stay at this inn as a freeloader, off… What was there left to say? Sinon just went along with it.
Much to her dismay, the restaurant and shop area at the ground floor was bustling right now. There may have been not that many players on the upper floors around that time, but there weren't many places for these players to relax after a long day "at work" in the field either. Thus, a crowd of somewhere between one and two dozen players had gathered at Agil's inn.
Among these players, there were at least some familiar faces, all standing around a certain table. Kirito, Yui, Silica, Lisbeth… Even their current landlord, Agil, was present, and he was apparently explaining some sort of… card game? Sinon also noticed some other people she had seen before, for instance Leafa, a girl with a strange elfish avatar, and Strea, a quirky girl who dropped by every so often.
Asuna walked over to them, leading Sinon by the hand. Sinon felt a bit silly, but she didn't see any option but to go with the flow… or Asuna, in this case.
Asuna: Hey, what's going on over here?
Agil [excitedly]: Oh, Asuna! You're just in time!
Yui: Yes, you absolutely have to join us, Mama!
Asuna [slightly taken aback]: Wait a second, Yui-chan!? What exactly are you even doing that I "have" to join?
Kirito: Well, Yui got kinda excited when she saw some other players play cards, and now we got the idea to play a game ourselves.
Strea: Yeah, we were thinking about poker!
Asuna: Poker… [upset] Wait a moment! You can't play for money! What kind of example are you even setting for Yui-chan!
Kirito [defensively]: Hey, hey, don't jump to conclusions! We've already figured that betting money wouldn't be a good idea, and items would cause problems just as well, so… [hesitantly, slightly awkwardly] we settled for… well…
Strea: We're playing for Kirito!
Upon hearing that, Asuna's mind went blank, and it took her a moment to come back to her senses. When she did, she let out a surprised shriek.
Kirito: Strea! Why did you have to phrase it like that?! A-asuna, keep calm, okay? There's more to it!
Yui [slightly confusedly]: Hm, how so, Papa? I thought the prize was to spend one day with you.
Kirito: Well… Y-yeah, that's exactly the case! [thinks, exasperatedly] Although I think Strea could learn how to put that into words better…
Asuna: A-ah, so that's what it is… That's… okay, I guess.
Lisbeth [cheerfully, slightly teasingly]: Yeah, of course it is! What did you think what we were planning, [teasingly] Asuna?
Asuna [upset, slightly dejectedly]: Liz!
While Lisbeth began to chuckle about Asuna's reaction, Sinon was still watching from the sidelines, wondering what to make of this exchange. They were a strange lot… Sinon hadn't had much opportunity to observe people her age or to spend time with them in a casual atmosphere, so she couldn't tell if they were… "normal". Let alone how to approach them…
Before she could come to any kind of conclusion, Sinon was startled by the sound of hurried footsteps coming from behind her. When she turned around, she noticed how the small crowd there made way for someone bit by bit. The person seemed to be a man, and he was a bit taller than the players he cut his way through, so he was probably an adult.
When the man had made it past all these people, Sinon could see that he wore a set of black and red armour as well as some accessories like a bandana. Most importantly, however, she saw how this man didn't stop. He even lunged forward with such vigour that it frightened her a little.
Klein: Wait a second! If you…
Just as Klein, the unexpected "new arrival", was about to state his intentions, he was stopped. He almost bumped into Sinon, who was so surprised and intimidated by the sudden "ambush" that she shrieked quite loudly and punched Klein in an unprotected part of his abdomen in self-defense.
Klein let out a strange gurgling cry before slumping down while holding the spot Sinon had hit. Speaking of Sinon, she hastily backed away until she stood left to Asuna and just a little bit behind her. She glanced over at the others with an expression of shock on her face, wondering what they might think. As it turned out, everyone else stared at Klein with varying degrees of amazement and exasperation.
The first one to actually react to Sinon was Strea, who approached her from behind with a comforting smile. Frankly, Sinon considered that smile weird given the circumstances.
Strea: Now, now, no need to be so on edge! It's just… um… a guy!
Kirito [mutters]: That's one way to say that you don't know him… [says aloud, slightly confusedly] What are you doing here anyway, Klein?
Klein [wheezes]: Right now, I'm suffering! Geez, is trampling on my dignity not enough anymore, so you have to resort to physical violence?!
Agil: Yare, yare… You are the one who jumped on us out of nowhere! Really, if I was a girl and some weirdo suddenly dashed at me like that, I'd sure punch him in the gut just as she did, too.
Asuna: Well, that's true. You can't just scare people like that, Klein-san!
Sinon looked back and forth between the others next to her and the man kneeling in front of her. Now that she took a closer look at him, he looked a bit familiar. Sinon remembered that she had seen him once, just a few days after she had suddenly appeared in SAO.
Back then, he had clearly shown compassion, and he had assured her that he would "help her in her situation", so she could "leave everything to him", which had sounded a bit cheesy, but it wasn't necessarily bad. The only thing that had put Sinon off was the fact that Klein had seemed as if he had been desperately trying to act gallantly – way more than would've been natural. It had reminded Sinon of what she had seen from teenage boys who tried too hard to appear reliable and generous, and that had made Sinon extremely wary at first. However, seeing how everyone treated Klein, she just couldn't take the guy completely seriously anymore.
Klein [slightly shocked]: You, too, Agil?! [dejectedly] Man, I've just heard that you were about to play poker with exclusive rights to Kirinoji on the line, so I came over as fast as possible to join. That's all!
Kirito: Hey, why are you so desperate?! You're creeping me out here!
Klein [determinedly]: What?! Of course I won't pass on the opportunity to let you do my bidding! The possibilities are endless! I could let you help Fuurinkazan with a seriously difficult quest! Or maybe I'll let you give me some tips on how to flirt with girls. That would be bound to increase my chances!
Kirito [upset, slightly embarrassed]: Hey, what's this about "flirting with girls"?!
Sinon had a similar thought. She wondered if this guy, Klein, really was a lecherous pervert after all if he came up with such ideas.
However, when she looked around, checking the others' reactions, she noticed – as much as this may have confused her – that all of them were exasperated rather than crept out.
Lisbeth [sternly, slightly upset]: Don't worry, Klein! Regardless of the outcome, nothing will change! With lines like that, your chances definitely won't go up, but they're at rock bottom to begin with, so you have at least nothing to lose!
Klein [shocked]: What?! You can't be serious!
Much to Klein's dismay, almost everyone nodded to affirm Lisbeth's statement.
Lisbeth: Geez, this is why nobody can take you seriously… It hasn't even been two weeks since we first met, and I already can't see you as anything but a weirdo if you keep acting like that! At this point, it's…
All of a sudden, Lisbeth bent over slightly, her breathing became a little bit uneven, and she seemed to have a hard time keeping a straight face.
Lisbeth: ...really not… a surprise that… that… the first reaction of a girl would be to… to… [snorts with laughter] to punch you in the gut!
She couldn't contain herself anymore and burst into laughter.
Lisbeth: This is just… hahaha… too funny. This… hihi… picture… hahahihiha… will give me a good laugh… [gasps for breath] Yeah… it will… for a looong time! [gives Sinon a thumbs up] Nice reaction!
Klein [dejectedly]: Um, would it hurt anyone to – you know – show some compassion for me?
Agil [sighs]: That's your fault for acting like a freak and creeping everyone out! At least don't bother my customers that way! If anyone complains, I'll kick you out!
Klein: You, too, Agil?! Dammit… Why does it always end like this?
Asuna [slightly awkwardly]: W-well, if you want to participate, I don't see much of a problem. So, how about we move on and get started?
Kirito [sighs]: Might be a good idea. I mean… The more, the merrier?
Klein: Why is that a question? Well, it can't be helped, I guess.
Asuna [slightly contemplatively]: Now that I think about it, I actually want to join in, too. [mutters, slightly determinedly] If I win, I'll… [slightly contemplatively] Also… [turns to Sinon, says aloud, cheerfully, slightly softly] How about you, Sinon-san? Why don't you take part as well? It might be fun!
Sinon felt a bit pressed by this proposal. Admittedly, she should've expected it to come, but she wasn't sure how to feel about it. The way Asuna had invited her so genuinely made it hard to decline just like that, but at the same time, Sinon wondered if it was even okay for her to join this "competition".
In particular, the "prize" made Sinon feel a little uneasy. Kirito seemed… Actually, Sinon couldn't even tell if he'd be okay with her winning this sort of game… or if he'd be okay with anyone winning.
He gave the impression that he had completely lost control of the situation already, and he had apparently accepted that, albeit with exasperation. It made Sinon wonder how exactly they had settled on "a day with Kirito" as the prize… She hadn't spent much time with the guy or seen much of him, but every time Sinon got to observe the situation around him, she grew more convinced that he was a centre of chaos and oddness – not in the same way as Klein, perhaps, but it still put her off…
Considering that, Sinon wasn't even sure if she wanted to win in the first place. Given that, was it even advisable to participate? Well, Sinon had never played poker, and she had her doubts that she could win even if she tried…
Just as Sinon had finished that thought, she felt a strange kind of energy and determination welling up inside her. It urged her not to give up just like that and to show all the others that she could stand her ground whatever match they might come up with.
Sinon: Well… I am interested, so I guess I can give it a try.
Now that it had been decided who would take part in the game, the players gathered around Agil, who took out a deck of cards and began to explain the rules to those who weren't completely familiar with it. Based on Agil's suggestion, they had settled on a variant of poker called "Texas Hold 'Em", although hardly anyone knew what would've been different if they had chosen a different version.
Sinon (and most of the other girls) had a hard time at the beginning. They needed some time to get accustomed to the game. Kirito and Klein, on the other hand, apparently had some experience with this. According to what they had told the others, Kirito had played a few games that included casino-themed challenges such as poker, and Klein had done the same and had occasionally played poker with some of his coworkers as well.
The only girl that could keep up from the very start was Strea. Oddly enough, she said that she had never played poker before that day. Apparently, she had grasped the rules and principles more or less instantly, and she seemed to assess every occurring situation so quickly and precisely that Sinon wondered if Strea secretly was some sort of card game engine.
In addition, Strea constantly wore her usual cheerful smile, which was such a good poker face that everyone was just amazed. It was peculiar, though… Strea never actually used that to her advantage. She didn't bluff even once, always folding when she thought that her hand couldn't win, and at one point, she even declared that she wouldn't lie about her chances.
Conversely, Strea never fell for anybody else's bluff. It may have been that focus on her own objective chances of winning, or maybe she was incredibly good at reading people.
As a result of these circumstances, Sinon figured soon that she should fold if Strea kept raising unless she had a good hand herself. Using that observation and other cautious strategies, Sinon could stabilise her situation in the game to some extent while a few of the others began to struggle.
Silica was the foremost example. The girl was extremely nervous, and her poker face… was honestly non-existent. It was so obvious whether she actually had a good hand that it was a miracle that she survived the first few runs. Once her luck ran out, she had her back to the wall in no time.
There was also her habit of asking Pina for advice. Needless to say, the familiar only responded with its usual chirping noises, and Sinon honestly wondered if it was of any help. Well… Silica reacted to Pina as if she could understand what the feathered dragon was saying, and it made Sinon question Silica's sanity. To be fair, it might've been just her way of coping with her current predicament.
In the end, Silica was the first one to be eliminated.
The game remained tricky for most of the rest of them. For instance, during the final round of one run, only Lisbeth and Strea hadn't folded, and it was up to Lisbeth to raise or to fold. She went with the former, trusting in a combination of the two kings on her hand and one king, a ten and an eight on the table, so she had three of a kind – kings at that.
However, she had overlooked that there were three spades on the table, which gave Strea a pretty good chance to get a flush. Furthermore, Strea had exercised her typical suspicious confidence when she had raised the stakes considerably during the former round, which was also why Kirito and Klein had folded.
Out of inexperience, Lisbeth had recklessly bet all of her remaining chips, and when Strea revealed that she did indeed have a flush, she had to pay the price.
Well, Sinon couldn't really belittle her. She had made a similar mistake in an earlier run. Aside from her, Kirito and Klein had been the only ones left. There had been a two of spades, a seven of diamonds and one of spades and queens of hearts and of clubs on the table. Sinon had bet on the two pairs combined with an ace on her hand as a kicker, thinking that this would be the best realistic combination.
However, she had learnt the hard way that this hadn't been true when Kirito had combined the two pairs with another seven. Sinon simply hadn't considered a full house, which was the one combination of cards she couldn't really wrap her head around since it seemed so bizarrely different from the others, which followed very straightforward principles.
Incidentally, Klein had won that run because he had had a queen, beating Kirito's sevens full of queens with queens full of sevens. Fortunately, the stakes hadn't been that high, so neither Kirito nor Sinon had got into a pickle because of that.
The next elimination happened just a few runs after Lisbeth had lost. In the last round, only Kirito, Leafa and Sinon were left, and Leafa was the one to start.
Leafa [groans, frustrated]: What is this?! Nobody is really raising the stakes when it suits me… At this rate, I'll just run out of chips! That's not fair! [determinedly] Time to turn the tables!
With that declaration on her lips, Leafa shoved the remaining stack of chips in front of her towards the middle of the table.
Leafa: All in! I'm going to win this!
There was a fire in Leafa's eyes and voice that was burning so intensely that Sinon instinctively backed away a little. When she showed such resolve, she had to have something on her hand to back it up, didn't she? In her intimidated state, Sinon completely forgot to consider the objective chances of someone having a good hand.
Sinon: I… I fold.
Kirito seemed a bit surprised at Sinon's surrender, but he didn't think too much of it and moved on.
Kirito [slightly teasingly]: Well, you can't fool me, though. Call! Let's see what you have!
Leafa answered Kirito's confident smile with a small surprised yelp. The dealer, Agil, told them to show their cards, and while Leafa had… nothing, to be honest, Kirito had at least two pairs. Leafa could only stare at the cards wide-eyed.
Leafa: Are you serious?! [slumps down in her chair, frustrated] Aaaargh… I lost…
Kirito [chuckles]: Try to fool me all you want, Sugu, but we're family, so you can't trick me so easily! The way you acted right now… You've been doing the same thing ever since you were little: First, you vent your frustration about something, and then you tackle whatever bothers you with everything you've got. Too bad that it worked against you here. It showed all too clearly that you didn't have anything good! If you had had, you would've just played your hand without the dramatic speech.
Leafa: Mrgghhhh… Using insider information isn't fair!
They kept bickering like that for a moment. Meanwhile, the others could only watch on with wry smiles. Well, Silica seemed to mutter something under her breath. Incidentally, she mumbled how "nice it had to be to have a close sibling relationship".
Sinon, on the other hand, tried to gather her thoughts about what had just happened. Had Kirito just called Leafa "Sugu"? And what was that about family?
Now that she thought about it, during the few interactions between Kirito and Leafa that she had observed, Sinon had got the feeling that these two had known each other for a long time despite the fact that – according to what Sinon had heard – Leafa had entered this virtual world only recently… just as she had herself.
In light of that, Sinon had suspected that the two of them were childhood friends or something like that. Given what Kirito had just said, however… So they were related by blood? To be honest, Sinon had considered that, but they just looked nothing alike. She had been told that all players in SAO looked exactly as they did in the real world, and she wasn't an exception. When she had used that new mental healthcare software for the Amusphere, she had used a function to base her virtual avatar's appearance on her own to keep things simple. Thus, Sinon wasn't familiar with the idea of looking different than your real self in VR. The same rules didn't apply to Leafa, though… Good to know. Well, it explained the elf ears…
Anyway, this seemingly simple exchange had really driven home just how out of place Sinon was here… or at least how out of place she felt. She didn't know any of them, and frankly, the affairs of all of those around her were none of her business. She didn't want to meddle or pry, especially after she had been taken in so kindly, but at the same time, she noticed that all of those around her had some sort of connection with each other while she lacked anything like that, and she didn't know what to do about that without… well, "prying".
There was also the fact that her "social experiences" (if this was even an appropriate term) didn't exactly boost her confidence that she would fit in. Not to mention that Sinon had the feeling that if she tried to get close to any of them only to fail to get along or – what would be even worse – to get exploited or anything like that, she probably wouldn't be able to trust anyone anymore.
Suddenly, Sinon felt a hand on her shoulder, and it jolted her out of her thought process. She almost jumped out of her chair and turned towards the person who had touched her. It was Asuna, who had been startled by Sinon's reaction. She showed that clearly on her face, but there was also a glint of worry in her expression.
Asuna: Sinon-san, are you okay? You… spaced out, and you didn't reply to anything I said to you…
Sinon: O-oh… I did? Sorry. It… There was just something on my mind.
Strea: Hm? What was it? Tell me, tell me! Oh, was it perhaps Kirito's… [slightly contemplatively] Hm, what did they call it? [excitedly] Oh, right! His sister complex!
Strea's… assumption was met with a synchronous outcry from almost everyone else.
Kirito [defensively]: Hey, who is having a "sister complex" here?! Don't just blurt out weird stuff that will give people the wrong idea!
It took a while after that for things to settle down again, especially since Strea wanted an in-depth explanation of what a "sister complex" actually was. Apparently, she thought that it referred to a feeling of deep affection towards a sister. The fact that this understanding wasn't completely off the mark didn't really make this easier.
All the while, Sinon could only watch the scene, feeling a mixture of exasperation, bewilderment and sympathy for Kirito, Asuna and Leafa, who had been affected the most by the current issue. Sinon hadn't seen all that much from Kirito and company, but more than half of those times, chaotic situations like this had unfolded.
Frankly, it made Sinon wonder if she even wanted to be a part of this weird bunch. At first glance, it didn't seem to be worth it. However, for all their bickering and craziness, Sinon couldn't detect the slightest hint of ill intent in their interactions. She knew what that looked like, at least she believed that she did to some extent. The way these people around her interacted, on the other hand, seemed genuinely affectionate to her.
Anyway, the game continued, and before long, there was one run during which Kirito, Asuna and Sinon were the ones to reach the final round. Sinon would start, and she looked at the two cards in her hand.
She had a six of spades and a six of clubs. In addition, there were a five of clubs, a six of diamonds, an eight of diamonds and of spades respectively and a ten of diamonds. Well, she had three of a kind, but her triplet had a pretty low rank, and Kirito and Asuna could beat her hand with just one eight. Furthermore, there was also the possibility of someone having a straight or a flush… or a straight flush.
Sinon had bet a lot of her chips in this run, and folding would've put her in a bind. Nevertheless, she was about to do so, even if it almost sealed her loss, but she suddenly felt that determination which had come over her at the very beginning of the game. She had to admit that she simply didn't want to lose here, and even if she did, Sinon at least wanted to go out with a bang.
Thus, Sinon pushed the few chips she had left forward, adding them to the pot.
Sinon: All in!
Without another word, Sinon looked at the others, and she was actually a bit surprised to see just how intimidated Asuna seemed to be.
Asuna: U-um… I… I think I'll fold!
Kirito [contemplatively, slightly nervously]: Well… I…
Kirito looked down at the cards in his hands and back to Sinon. He repeated that a few times with an expression that became gradually more troubled. In the end, he put down his cards and sighed in defeat.
Kirito: I fold. I'd like to see what you have, but at this rate, I bet it's a straight flush. Or at least four eights.
Agil: Well, that concludes this round. The pot goes to Sinon.
Sinon [slightly taken aback]: Well, yeah… Thanks. But… What made you so sure that I had a straight flush? I mean…
Sinon lay her two cards on the table, and Kirito and Asuna's eyes bulged out when they saw what Sinon had.
Asuna: Seriously?! I had an eight! I could've beaten that hand!
Kirito: Well, no need to feel down. I mean, take a look at this! [shows Asuna his cards] Two diamonds, so I still would've beaten your hand. [slightly grumpily] But to think that you've tricked me, Sinon… You never bluffed before, so I didn't think you would start now…
Asuna: Yeah… Your voice carried so much determination while your face didn't show any sign that you were trying to bluff… I just couldn't help but think that you had to have a really good hand.
Kirito [slightly contemplatively]: Well, that's true. I have to admit: It was actually pretty impressive. It is hard to conceal your true emotions in SAO due to the way the system simulates facial expressions. Normally, you would've shown your true feelings at least for a moment, but there was absolutely nothing there. That's one ironclad poker face if you ask me.
Sinon couldn't really believe what she was hearing. She touched her own face with one hand, feeling for that "ironclad poker face". Well, not that she could find it right now. After what Kirito and Asuna had said, Sinon wore a bewildered expression.
Regardless, now that she thought about it, Sinon remembered that she had been trying to master concealing her true emotions around others for a while now. It had never really worked, though. She had always tried too desperately to hide feelings of nervousness or anything similar, and this had only caused her to tense up so much that it had made her real state of mind all the more obvious.
Sinon wondered what was different here. The only thing she could think of was that she simply hadn't thought about the situation too much. She had merely let her determination take over, focusing on the matter at hand, and she had done what she had wanted to do. Maybe that was the key?
She tried it during the next few runs, and it worked surprisingly well. Sinon's ironclad poker face withstood any "attack". She played a good hand every now and then, folded when there was nothing she could do, and she bluffed her way out of a dire situation several times. Kirito even tried to "unravel the secret behind her bluffs"… only to fail spectacularly most of the time. There wasn't really a system behind Sinon's bluffs, so any attempt to get behind such a system was doomed to fail.
After a while, Sinon found herself in the final round of another run with Klein as her only remaining adversary.
Klein [determinedly]: Heh, you're doing pretty well, Sinochi! But I'll stop you here and now! There, all in! [haughtily, slightly teasingly] Hehe, you better fold while you still can!
Sinon raised an eyebrow. Sinochi? When had she got that silly nickname? Frankly, she wondered if objecting would be worth it, but she figured that she should finish this game for now rather than fussing over Klein's shenanigans.
The cards on the table… were a hot mess. There were a two of diamonds, a four of hearts, a seven of hearts, a nine of clubs and a king of spades. Sinon thought about the situation. If she wasn't mistaken, the best hand would be three of a kind. Well, not that she had that. She could only get a pair of nines with an ace as a kicker. Given the circumstances, this hand wasn't that bad, but it certainly wasn't unbeatable.
Sinon took another look at Klein. Should she fold as he had said? Wait… As he had said? Now that Sinon thought about it, wasn't it strange for him to go out and say something like that? In light of everything she had seen from him and heard about him, this line seemed like the kind of thing he would say when bluffing. There was also the fact that Klein had played pretty recklessly during the last few runs in order to decide the game in his favour… only to lose a lot of chips. When he was in such a tight spot, it would only be natural for him to try bluffing his way out of it.
Sinon: Call!
Klein [shocked]: WHAT?! Call?! W-why didn't you fold?
Agil: Stop whining! It's a showdown, so show what you've got!
Klein put his cards on the table with an expression of resignation. He had a four and a queen. When Sinon showed her hand, it immediately became clear who was the victor this time.
Kirito: Wow, Klein. You went all in and only had a pair of fours. Well, at the very least, you really had the guts to do that.
Klein [dejectedly]: Shut up… Man, what a downer! I can't believe it's over. [frustrated] Argh, I really wanted to make Kirito do my biding!
Kirito [mutters]: And now I'm once again glad that you can't…
Fortunately, this discussion was cut short by Asuna, who was strangely eager to continue. Incidentally, Asuna's determination to win seemed to grow significantly now that the end of the game drew near… and nothing showed that development more clearly than the next run did.
Only Asuna and Sinon had reached the final round, and the cards on the table were a three of diamonds, a five of clubs, a six of hearts, a seven of clubs and a jack of clubs.
Asuna: Alright… I'm going to win, I'm absolutely going to win! All in!
Sinon: Hmph, fine with me! Call!
Asuna laid her two cards on the table. She had a four of spades and an eight of hearts.
Asuna: Eight-high straight!
Sinon: Hm, that's a good hand, but…
When Sinon showed Asuna and the rest her own cards, Asuna's face dropped after a short moment, which she needed to realise what hand Sinon actually had: a two of clubs and an ace of clubs.
Sinon: A flush. Sorry, Asuna-san, but I win.
Asuna: B-but…
Asuna slumped down in her chair and began to grumble quietly. Yui came to her to cheer her up, but it didn't seem as if that would be easy.
Strea: Okay, so it's only me, Kirito and Sinon, right? Hey, let's end our game with a showdown!
Kirito: Huh? So… You want the next run to decide the winner? Well, I guess we could do that…
Agil: Hm, it would be a slight change in the rules, but I could give each of you your cards and put the five community cards on the table. Whoever gets the best hand wins, no betting this time.
Sinon: Fine with me. [slightly insecurely] This took quite some time, didn't it? It might be better to wrap things up.
While Agil was dealing the cards, Sinon took a look at the eliminated players. The majority of them sulked, especially Asuna. Only Silica seemed to be somewhat excited to see how this would end.
Leafa: Mrrrgh, I wanted to win…
Lisbeth: Well… Didn't we all want that?
Sinon couldn't help but wonder why they wanted "exclusive rights to Kirito for one day" so badly. She had no way of knowing what might be so special about Kirito that everyone would want to spend one day with him.
Well, Leafa was apparently related with him, and judging from what Sinon had learnt about them so far, Asuna had a… special relationship with him, too, so Sinon could understand why calling the tune while spending time with him would be alluring to the two of them. She had no idea about the others, though. Well, except for Klein, who had made his intentions clear.
An excited outcry from Strea snapped Sinon out of that thought process.
Strea: This has to be the best hand! Yippie! Okay, is everyone ready?
Sinon: Y-yeah, let's finish the game!
Kirito: Sure, show me what you've got!
There were a six of clubs, a ten of hearts, a king of hearts and of spades respectively and an ace of hearts on the table. Strea added a five and a king to them.
Strea: Three kings!
She was obviously confident in her victory. Kirito, however, breathed a sigh of relief before laying another king and a ten on the table.
Kirito: Kings full of tens. But I have to admit… That was close.
Strea [shocked]: A full house?! [dejectedly] How can you get such a strong hand now of all times?!
Kirito didn't have anything to say in response, and there was something else on his mind anyway. He looked at Sinon, waiting to see what she had. So far, she just sat there motionlessly while eyeing her two cards pensively.
Sinon took another glance at the cards on the table before turning back to the cards she held in her hand. She struggled to come to a decision.
The two cards she had were a jack of hearts and a queen of hearts. She could hardly believe it herself, but Sinon got a royal flush. A part of her was excited and wanted to reel in the victory she had rightfully achieved. However, the other part of her kept thinking about the way the others had lamented their loss.
All of them had wanted to win, probably because of the prize. Sinon was aware of that, even if she had no idea what reasons some of them had. Meanwhile, she didn't even know what she would do with Kirito.
In conclusion, Sinon wanted to win the game, not the prize, but she knew that she couldn't have the former without the latter. She thought that it would be wrong to claim something others wanted when she didn't, so…
Sinon: Unfortunately, I've lost. There's no helping it.
She put her cards face-down onto the table, and the audience let loose a jumble of astonished outcries and congratulations. It was almost concerning how the mood had shifted to such excitement.
Once this wave of exhilaration had died down, however, a different question came up.
Klein: But… Who actually won? I mean the prize. Since Kirito won, what will you do?
Kirito: That's… a good point. I can't really have a day with myself, can I? [thinks] Although… Wasn't almost every day like that before I teamed up with Asuna? Hm, I might be overthinking this, though.
Lisbeth: Hm, I don't know. This seems to call for a rematch…
While this seemed like a halfway logical solution, Strea was the only one who was really excited about the prospect of another game.
Kirito: I think we should just leave it the way it is. This has already taken more than enough time, don't you think? It's already gotten pretty late. [contemplatively] But… I don't know, how about I spend that day with Yui? You know, as a compromise.
Yui: With me? [excitedly] Really, Papa?!
Kirito: W-well, yeah! I mean, we only got that idea in the first place because that was what you would've wished for, so how about it?
Asuna: I mean… I guess that would work.
Yui accepted the idea with a beaming smile and an energetic nod. Being confronted with Yui's excitement and Asuna's approval, none of the others could argue about that.
Obviously, Sinon was no exception. When she saw how happy Yui was, the corners of her mouth turned up ever so slightly.
Sinon [thinks]: That was the right decision. If anyone should get to "win" a day with this guy – [slightly exasperatedly] no matter why anyone would even want that so badly – [softly] it should be one of them. That way, there's at least someone happy about this.
Sinon clutched her forehead and let out a quiet groan. Maybe it was the constant tension that had put a strain on her, but she felt mentally exhausted. Thus, she got up and slowly walked towards the stairs. Right now, she only wanted to return to her room and relax.
Kirito: Hey, Sinon! Wait a moment!
Sinon turned around and saw that Kirito had somehow wriggled his way through the crowd around him to follow her.
Sinon: What is it?
Kirito: I… I just wanted to ask if you… really lost that last showdown.
Sinon had to contain herself. Otherwise, she would've given her worries away by biting her lip or something like that. Had Kirito seen through her?
Sinon: Why do you ask?
Kirito [slightly awkwardly]: W-well, it's just… You didn't show your final hand, so it made me wonder what cards you actually had. I mean, if you had a pair of aces, for instance…
Now that she knew what was up, Sinon almost felt silly for being concerned, and she had to suppress a sigh. So he was just curious?
Kirito [slightly insecurely]: I can't really think of any reason why you wouldn't reveal your hand, though. That was kinda odd. Now I wonder if you thought that it would inconvenience me and folded despite having a better hand. Because… [casually] if that's the case, you don't have to worry! I know the conditions were a bit odd, but I don't mind.
Okay, that was closer to the truth… Sinon couldn't help but think that Kirito was still clearly off the mark, but she had to give him some credit for noticing that something was on her mind. Well, it was either that or Kirito was the kind of person who took every opportunity to worry about others. To be fair, he and Sinon hardly knew each other (if at all), so this amount of open consideration already surprised Sinon a bit.
It didn't change the fact that Sinon had relinquished the prize, and she had no intention of changing her mind about that. The only question was how she could bring that across without giving anything away.
Sinon: If I answer your question and I won, I'll get the prize instead, right? [slightly teasingly] Are you telling me to rip you out of the hands of your adorable foster daughter? You better take a lesson or two in parenting if you can't just let her be happy every once in a while, you know?
Kirito: T-that's…
Sinon: Hihi, no need to become so tense! I was just joking. [seriously] Well, half-joking. Seriously, I've told you I lost. [casually] Now you can believe it or not. Bye!
She turned around and walked towards the staircase. After climbing the first two steps, Sinon paused and looked over at Kirito once more. He was looking at the table where they had played cards. When she took a closer look herself, Sinon noticed that Agil was currently clearing up the cards. However, Sinon's last two cards were still lying on the table.
Was… Kirito about to check them? Sinon had a bad feeling about this, and for a moment, she wondered what she should do in an almost panicked manner.
Alas, Kirito just shook his head and apparently let it go. Sinon couldn't help but feel relieved… and think that her current assessment of him had been somewhat affirmed. Kirito was an odd guy, but he wasn't the overly troublesome sort.
Back on the current day on the 95th floor
Sinon stopped reminiscing. She liked that memory – especially since it showed how she and her stance towards those around her had changed since then.
For better or worse, she had become a part of this group of oddballs. The fact that she considered them weirdos… hadn't actually changed, but Sinon had overall come to terms with that. In fact, she had begun to appreciate their horseplay to some extent.
Asuna may have got involved in her affairs more than Sinon felt completely comfortable with yet, but she did so in a clearly caring manner. Klein may have been the biggest freak she had met so far, but he wasn't dangerous – he was a good guy at heart. Well, and Kirito may have had an incredible, rare talent for getting on her nerves without meaning to, but he was a reliable friend. Without going into detail, she could say similar things about the others, too.
In the end, Sinon accepted their shortcomings. After all, the others seemed to accept hers, too. She was well aware that she was a handful herself, and there had been a few occasions when her own shenanigans had been the cause of trouble.
However, Sinon also couldn't shake off the feeling that she only fit into their group because the others didn't know the whole truth. She may have thought that the others accepted her shortcomings, but that was probably only because they didn't know the worst one yet.
Regarding that, Sinon had had a strange dream last night. She didn't remember most of the details, but she and her friends had been a part of the Argonautica. She had been Medea, Akinym had been Jason and the others played the role of the Argonauts. Even people she had never met in person had appeared. For instance, Kayaba Akihiko had been the king of Colchis.
There had been a certain twist, though. At the point when the Argonauts leave Colchis, Sinon/Medea had been left behind. The last thing Sinon remembered from that dream was a figure that had watched her from the rear of the departing Argo, which – oddly enough – had looked a bit like its namesake info broker. Meanwhile, she had stood on the shore powerlessly. Sinon was sure that the figure had been the robber from the post office.
The dream had been nowhere near as horrifying as her usual nightmares, but it had been all the more unsettling in a different way.
Silica: Sinon-san, is something wrong? Now you look as if something is bothering you.
Sinon: Huh? O-oh, that… I just remembered something, that's all. [slightly contemplatively] But… This may sound as if it has nothing to do with that, but can I ask you something?
Silica [slightly confusedly]: Hm? Um… I mean, yes, go ahead…
Sinon: Pina… It… She is your partner in this… world, right? I'm just asking because I wondered if your nervousness might come from your current… separation. I mean, you're not with the one who's always been by your side.
Silica [contemplatively, slightly worriedly]: Hm, you might be right. It feels strange without Pina around… [slightly happily] She's always there for me to confide in her, and it's great to have a partner who will always fight – or just be – by my side!
Sinon [slightly softly]: That has to be nice… [seriously, slightly worriedly] But what will you do when you have to part ways? I'm not speaking hypothetically. We'll clear this game eventually, and Pina… During the last few days, some players, especially Akinym-san, keep saying that all the NPCs in SAO will be gone, and I wonder if Pina would be an exception. And it's not just Pina. Without this game that… kinda brought us together, I think we will all part ways.
Silica [worriedly]: I'm not gonna lie: This has been bothering me.
When Sinon heard the tone in Silica's voice, she thought that the other girl would be depressed. However, when Silica moved in front of her and looked her straight in the eye, there was no sadness in her expression.
Silica [determinedly]: But I believe – I absolutely believe that it won't come to that!
Sinon: W-what makes you so sure?
Silica: You know that Leafa-san has transferred her account from another VRMMO, right? That means that there are other VR worlds out there, and I can meet Pina again there!
Sinon: Well, yes, I can see what you're talking about, but you would have to transfer Pina there, wouldn't you? Does that even work?
Silica: Maybe I can't be sure, but Kirito-san has told me that he has found a way to save Yui-chan's programme. Therefore, it has to be possible! Kirito-san helped me once not to get separated from Pina, and I'm sure he'll do it again! When Kirito-san helps me, I'm sure that nothing will go wrong!
Sinon was downright astonished by Silica's trust in Kirito. Well, she could see where she was coming from. As far as Sinon could see, Kirito couldn't stop himself from worrying about those around him, and if Silica asked him to help her and Pina, he almost certainly wouldn't refuse.
In a sense, Sinon had experienced that first-hand. When she had almost got herself killed inside a labyrinth once, Kirito had – without any specific reason – gone out of his way to save her. Well, he had arrived a bit late to the party, but that didn't change anything about his intentions.
Sinon: It… has to be nice to put so much trust in someone…
Silica: Huh? Why do you say that, Sinon-san? Oh, is this about what you've said about "eventually parting ways"? [reassuringly, slightly determinedly] Don't worry about that! I'm sure that Kirito-san and also Asuna-san will think of something! I… [slightly worriedly] I wouldn't want to lose contact to you and everyone else, either, [slightly determinedly] but I think that everything will be alright!
Sinon [slightly taken aback]: You sure are convinced of that, [calmly] but it's probably not a bad thing. If anything, I probably only brought that possibility up because I was thinking how some stories just don't have a happy end.
Silica: What do you mean?
Sinon hesitated to answer for a moment. She had to get her thoughts in order first.
Sinon: Hey, how about I'll answer your question from earlier in return for answering mine? There… was something bothering me. I was thinking about the Argonautica, the Greek story we talked about yesterday. You might remember how Kirito compared me to Medea. [Silica nods] You know, Medea's story… isn't a happy one.
Silica: Really? Asuna-san said something about Jason taking her with him, and it sounded as if they'd get married and could live happily in his homeland.
Sinon: Well, they get married, and for a while, they live… somewhat happily. They even have two kids. However, the story doesn't end there. Years later, Jason goes after another woman, the princess of another country, because he wants the throne of her father. Jason and Medea's marriage breaks apart because of that, and in the aftermath, their children even die… and they're not the only casualties.
Silica [upset]: That's awful! What man cheats on his wife like that! That Jason is a huge jerk! You shouldn't be too concerned about that, Sinon-san!
Sinon: It's not that detail specifically that got to me! It's just… As Asuna said, their story seemed to go so well, but… in the end, it was a classical Greek tragedy. Ultimately, their relationship was doomed to fail due to Jason's inherent flaws and wishes…
Silica: But wouldn't that mean that it only went this way because Jason was a scumbag? I think that's exactly that detail! In a functional group, it shouldn't come to this!
Sinon [mutters]: Functional, huh?
She wasn't really sure what to make of Silica's determined declaration, but in the end, Sinon didn't even get to say anything else about this. Out of the corner of her eye, Sinon saw Akinym and Klein moving towards the slope that led down the hill. When she followed them with her eyes, she noticed that Ascending Moon was arriving.
Tsukuyomi: Hello, Akinym-san. And… Oh, you are the leader of… Fuurinkazan, Klein-san, is that correct?
Klein: It sure is! It's always nice to be recognised!
Tsukuyomi [slightly taken aback]: Um, yes… I suppose so… [hastily, slightly awkwardly] A-anyway, we brought the plough you ordered, Akinym-san! [calmly] ODE?
ODE nodded and stepped forward. When he stood in front of the group, he looked for something in his inventory and converted the item into an object, and a large plough, which seemed to be designed to be pulled by two draught animals, appeared. Akinym took a look at it.
Junimenta: That should be what you're looking for. Well, at least that's what the blueprint allowed me to make. You got me exactly the right materials. [slightly tiredly] I never thought I'd build a plough in this game, though. That said, I guess the crafting system made it a lot easier than you'd normally expect. [mutters] It was still the most difficult work I've ever had…
Tsukuyomi [reassuringly]: You did a good job with that plough if you ask me, Juni! I'd even call it your masterpiece! You'll see, Akinym-san, I'm sure this plough will do just fine!
Susanoo [annoyed]: Ugh, could you stop flirting? We're not here for that!
Kaito: Yeah, I'd rather you stopped before you get started for real!
Klein: Yeah, honestly! I already have that enough at home, so I don't need it at work, too!
Tsukuyomi and Junimenta shot back that this "obviously wasn't flirting", and the others talked back. This insubstantial argument dragged on for a moment while ODE watched with a grin and Akinym with a frown.
Akinym [thinks]: He "complimented" her plough and they call it flirting… Seriously, how did Kayaba-san get all these weirdos of all people to play SAO?
Akinym shook his head to clear his thoughts. There was something else they should discuss now, so he cleared his throat to get their attention.
Akinym: Thank you for your work… [dryly, slightly annoyed] and for the inept discussion about how romantic farm equipment is! [seriously] However, there's something else I have to ask of you.
Tsukuyomi [slightly surprised]: Oh, what would that be?
Much to everyone's surprise, ODE suddenly began to chuckle and drew his large sword.
ODE: Isn't that pretty obvious, Tsukuyomi-kun? We're here in the middle of the field and just delivered an item for a quest – probably with a battle to be fought. And who reminded us so resolutely to come prepared for such a battle?
Susanoo: Whoa, whoa, wait! Are we supposed to fight here? That wasn't part of the order, was it?
Akinym [sternly, slightly exasperatedly]: Stop whining! The monsters won't place an order to begin with, so you better stop complaining when you have to face an opponent unexpectedly once you're in the Assault Team.
Susanoo: Yeah, but isn't that…
Tsukuyomi [seriously]: Wait a moment, Susanoo! Akinym-san, when you say "once we're in the Assault Team"… The way you say that… Does that mean we…
Tsukuyomi didn't have to finish his sentence – Akinym affirmed it with a nod.
Akinym: I think you're ready, and this battle will be your chance to prove it. That is, you'll have to wait for the decision by the Council, of course, but if you do a good job here, I don't think anyone will object.
Kaito: Ha! Sure thing! [points at Susanoo, slightly haughtily] Unlike the God of Storms and Lameness here, I don't have any issue with fighting a battle at any time, so just watch how I'll wreck whatever monsters come our way!
Susanoo [upset]: You wish, you wannabe master thief! If anything, I've only complained about getting dragged into someone else's quests, but now that I know what's going on, I won't back down! [determinedly] After all, that's our chance to get into the Assault Team, and I'll make sure to let all the girls hear about my great feats!
Akinym [sternly, slightly annoyed]: Shut up! You're joining the Assault Team, not a dating agency!
Susanoo wanted to protest, and Kaito looked as if he had a thing or two to say as well. However, ODE put a hand on each boy's head and ruffled their hair.
ODE: There you have it, you two! If you want to blow off steam, you better do it when fighting monsters! [casually] That said, what exactly would we have to do? We still need to know what kind of battle we should expect and what role we will play.
Akinym: Right, I'll explain that. To be honest, we don't know for sure what format this battle will have, but our experience up to this point suggests that we will have to fight a large group of skeleton warriors. If that's true, we'll split these monsters up. Each group here should have decent teamwork, so if each of us can fight a smaller number of monsters, we should be fine.
Klein and his guildmates nodded, affirming the strategy they had come up with earlier once again. The members of Ascending Moon followed suit after a brief moment of thinking. Meanwhile, Silica and Sinon, who stood on the sidelines for the time being, just watched in silence.
Akinym: Sinon-san and I have done that often enough with you, and I don't think you'll have much trouble. I'd like you to wait after the monsters spawn, though. There's a certain strategy we want to try, and it's better if you just wait until we split them up. Anyway, if the type of battle happens to be different, we will have to rethink our strategy first.
ODE [contemplatively]: Doesn't that sound a bit dangerous? Maybe you've just spoilt us in that regard, but fighting with so little information that you don't even know what we'll face…
Akinym: I understand your worries. To be honest, our only information comes from a story this quest is most likely based on. However, given the usual focus on fairness that this game seems to have, it would be strange if there was any kind of trap if information is scarce to begin with. If we really can't handle what this quest throws at us, we can always retreat. At the very least, Teleport Crystals should work.
ODE's question had given raise to worries among the members of Ascending Moon, but Akinym's argument eased these worries. The players relaxed a little, and he continued to explain the situation.
Akinym: I can't imagine many alternatives to the scenario I've mentioned anyway. It could be a boss battle, but you've practiced fighting in a raid party with the other Assault Team applicants, so you should know what to do if it comes to that.
Akinym wanted to wrap the briefing up, but when he looked around, he noticed the piercing glare that Sinon sent in his direction. Right, there was something else…
Akinym [slightly exasperatedly]: One more thing: This quest Sinon-san and I are doing is about an extremely rare item, a crafting material we need for our new gear. To our knowledge, it's the only quest reward, and unless the monsters we're about to face drop anything valuable, there's really nothing we can give you for your help.
Kaito: A rare material… Why do I get the feeling that this doesn't even begin to describe what we're after? [slightly exasperatedly] Well, if that's how it is, there's no helping it, but I have to say: [enviously] The Assault Team deals with some amazing stuff…
Junimenta [slightly upset]: Kaito, you're acting as if Akinym-kun and Sinon-san just got a slightly larger slice of cake at a birthday party, and you're throwing a fit! They have helped us plenty of times, so we can do something for them in return this time!
Tsukuyomi: There's also the fact that the Assault Team Council established a rule about this: Parties are allowed to compete for quest rewards and drops within reason, but once a certain item is taken, all other parties have to accept that and should avoid complaining. If we're about to join, we should really honour such rules.
Akinym took note of the fact that Tsukuyomi knew about such agreements. It meant that the guild leader had taken Akinym's advice to heart, so he informed himself of the Assault Team and its rules.
By the way, this particular rule was one of the first regulations to be issued by the Council, and it was supposed to solve an old issue of envy among the Assault Team. Whenever someone found an extraordinary item, all major factions competed for it, and some of them didn't take a loss well. Last Attack bonuses had been fought over particularly fiercely, and it had led to various problems in general.
One of these problems that had contributed a lot to the establishment of this rule was something the DDA had done for a while. When a small guild or party had got a rare item the DDA wanted, they had used their vast numbers to "coincidentally" do the exact same quests that group had wanted to do at the same time, clearing the necessary monsters and causing trouble in all kinds of ways to the point that the players who faced that harassment could hardly work anymore.
Incidentally, Sunny Tzu had come up with that idea, and he had pulled it off without really informing anyone about his intentions. He had just tasked different DDA parties with the respective quests. Lind had never learnt of that method. He only knew that when his guild had taken an interest in a certain item which a small guild had found, that guild had usually sold it to them to favourable conditions before long.
Thus, the aforementioned rule had been established to stop such shady tricks and all arguments over items whose ownership was actually already decided on. To be more precise, Tsukuyomi had only mentioned the overarching principle of a set of rules which was supposed to prevent a number of issues.
Now, Assault Team members could compete for pretty much whatever they liked, and if another party acquired an item they wanted, everyone was free to make the finders an offer to buy it, but once they made up their mind as to whether they kept the item or sold it to a specific party, the entire Assault Team had to accept that. Should a party try to meddle, the council members would act as arbitrators, and they could impose a variety of sanctions against troublemakers.
Now, to get back to the conversation…
Klein: Yeah, you better do! These petty fights over items were always so annoying! Besides, at this point, a single item won't tip the scales in anybody's favour anyway. Frankly, I think that the players' desire to always get the best stuff and to be the top contributors got the better of them, and they engaged in some seriously stupid arguments. I think we can be glad that everyone has apparently realised that this game isn't so unbalanced that one item could shift the balance of power between large groups tremendously.
Kaito [defensively, slightly annoyed]: Okay, okay! I get it! [slightly huffily] I just wanted to say that we get dragged into something unexpectedly big, that's all! I'm not gonna cause trouble!
Akinym: That's good to hear. After all, [turns towards the Oxen of Fire] we've got something to do.
...which they'll take care of in the next chapter.
You may wonder what's so "bad" about the names Gozu and Ushi for the two oxen. Well, according to my research, "Gozu" is the Japanese name of an ox-headed creature from Chinese mythology, and "Ushi" is just the Japanese word for "ox". So, yeah...
Admittedly, there are some passages in this chapter that may come across as random info dumps, and I probably could've written the chapter without them, but what shall I say? I felt like including them, and they serve a purpose. For instance, the part about the rule regarding rare items at the end was included because I had the feeling that Akinym and Sinon getting the Fleece would normally arouse envy (it's even a plot point to some degree), so I had to deal with that in some shape or form, so here we are.
I hope I got the rules of poker right when I researched them... If not, the portrayal of the in this chapter might include some strange mistakes, and that would be a bit awkward...
Next up, there'll be the "final" battle, and I can wrap up the next section of this story.