Lambent Light Returns…
ALheim (ALO)
"How About You? I mean, you come off like you've been playing VRMMOs for forever."
"What? Well, I play this one a lot…"
Asuna was startled at Yuki's question and for a moment her currently bright blue eyes widened, did she really come off like that? In all technicalities she had been inside virtual reality for two-and-a-half years until together she and Kirito had defeated Sword Art Online, Kirito had saved her from Sugou, and she had finally returned to the real world.
She hadn't thought much about how other players saw her skill level all that much and hearing this surprised her. While it was technically impossible for someone's mouth to run dry in vr Asuna felt like her's did, what was she supposed to say? They would treat her differently if they knew she was a SAO survivor, and even just thinking about SAO made her heart ache. While she had hated the ill effects of the game it was where she truly belonged, a swordswoman called "the Lighting Flash" married to Kirito with their daughter Yui. Her mother's words last month were still bothering her and rang periodically through her ears, reminding her how separated and lost she felt in the real world.
When Yuki looked at her funny Asuna hastened to answer, "What?" She said hastily feigning surprise, "well I play this one a lot. You wouldn't believe how many hours it took to get the money to buy this cabin."
Yuki and Siune didn't look convinced, but Jun, with his mouth full, answered. "Totally worth it!"
Asuna averted her gaze under Yuki's piercing and Siune's gently curious gazes and shifted her weight slightly, her thick bangs sweeping down and partially hiding one of her eyes. She didn't want to tell them, but she knew it was going to make them think she had something to hide. I wish Kirito was here... He always made her feel stronger and more confident at times like these.
Everyone had fallen silent, Jun and Tecchi had even paused eating, at their leader's silence. Clearly now a little unnerved.
To put their unease at rest Asuna sighed and lifted her head to look at Yuki. Her hands were already clasped in her lap, but her naturally pale skin went white around the knuckles as she spoke. "The worst VRMMO I've ever played is called Sword Art Online."
There was a thunk of Talken's glass and Jun and Tecchi's food and drink dropping to the hardwood floor where the liquids splashed over Asuna's creamy carpet before the items shimmered and broke into golden triangles and vanished.
Asuna inwardly cringed, if that had been in the real world she might have died right then and there, but it wasn't. This was ALO and it would only take a second or two to fix the mess once they were done staring at her.
Nori's piercing purple eyes were filled with a shock like the rest of them and the damage dealer spoke in a partially hoarse voice, "y-you're an SAO survivor?"
"Yes," Asuna said quietly, "with the same in-game name." She lifted her slightly trembling chin into a more proud and confident position, "Vice Commander of the KoB and nicknamed Lightning Flash."
"You're that Asuna?" Yuki breathed, staring at her in even more shock. "Then how come I beat you in that duel?"
Asuna shrugged, "it's been a year since I had my original rapier, I play as both a healer and a damage dealer so my stats aren't the same." She smiled weakly, "you're better than me here and I have no problem admitting it."
Yuki adopted a rather annoyed expression and stood up before she swiped her right hand and manipulated her menu. "Then duel with me with this." A blue and silver sheathed rapier shimmered into existence and Yuki tossed it to Asuna. Who's jaw dropped as she caught it.
It wasn't supposed to be in ALO… It vanished in SAO just like everything else. "Where did you get this?"
Yuki folded her arms, "after that guy beat the original king all the players online received at least one piece of gear. I got this one from a player who couldn't get rid of it fast enough. Just duel me with it."
Asuna slowly grasped the handle and the sheath and pulled on the sword, pulling the handcrafted blade from it's red protective sheath. The jewel in the center of the rapier's crossbar shined a dark blue and shined in the cabin's lights, the elegantly designed blue and silver metal of the rapier she had fought thousands of monsters and at least seventy-five bosses with gleamed dangerously.
"Why Asuna, do you recognize it?" Suine asked curiously, tilting her head and studying the female Undine's face.
Asuna pulled the blade the rest of the way out of the sheath and stared at it, "it… it's called Lambent Light." She looked up at Yuki, "it's my SAO sword, but everything in SAO is supposed to be gone..."
