13 August 2024

6:08 A.M PDT

Fresno, California, United States

A rising sun lightened the ground while there wasn't much to go off of. Hours before the attack on Glowgen's headquarters, the three elite members of Glowgen and the four comrades present at Denver arrive at an apartment. An SUV they took parking in front of it.

"We're home!" said Zelislav.

"Only an apartment?" replies Niya.

Zelislav paces in front of the rest of the group, with Niya following behind. Her green ponytail flapped alongside the wind through three stone steps upward. Grayness spreading through her green eyes as they got closer to the stairs.

"When we got this, we didn't have any money. Only that we were allowed to royally screw with Gabriel's ambitions and the men he sent to stop us. So, we just took it. Better than being Slavic hobos."

Dvinaslav sped up to him, her Serbian accent shining in, "Slavic hobos, seriously? We aren't hobos!"

"Take a joke for once, Dvina."

She erupts into silence, passing Zelislav and up through three flights of stairs to the fourth level. The others come along momentarily. Zelislav and Niya stayed together. Jaraslav and Drahoslav, alongside Shu and Asami, also remained as a group.

Jaraslav snickers while he watched the three head up first while fiddling the card to the apartment. Following their path and eventually to the door.

He hummed;

"Take the card out."

"Into your hand."

"Then position it out front."

"The bar code parallel."

"Walk to your door and then slide it to the right."

"If you see green, it's open."

"Then open the door into your home!"

As Dvinaslav rushed inside, Jaraslav backed off. Smiling while he watched as two of his comrades went inside. As well as permitting Drahoslav, Shu, and Asami to enter before making his way himself.

As they got inside, Drahoslav claps his hands tiredly.

"We should all go to bed. At this point, we aren't going to get anything done tomorrow."

"Actually," Asami interjects. "We shouldn't do anything tiring tomorrow."

"Right…"

Drahoslav approaches the bed as his squatter for the night. Giving a moment to adjust to a comfortable sleeping posture for himself, then his eyes shut off any present light.

11:45 A.M PDT

Except for the fifth comrade, Stanislav, everyone had at least an hour to wake up. Helping bring fresh groceries inside. Several of them in plastic bags brought in small bulks from each person. While larger products were carried individually or in sparingly small groups. Taking about twelve minutes with all seven committed.

"Should someone wake Stani up?" Dvinaslav asked.

"I will."

Jaraslav leves the kitchen. Passing across the hallway and towards the bedroom that he and Stanislav took up. A single bed large enough for the two to get adequate space when they didn't have individual beds. Besides that, a typical bedroom. He'd reach to Stanislav's side and shook him softly.

"Stanislav, get up."

Some stirring from him comes up. However, not enough to indicate he woke up.

"It's almost twelve. You need to get up."

A grunt from Stanislav showed him slowly opening his eyes. Slowly sitting up in the bed with some weariness over it. His messy gray hair, with hints of brown, as well as two different eye colors. His left blue, while his right eye was gray with a lightened pupil, which he almost hid with his hand until Jaraslav stopped it through his wrist. Tilting his head as he eyes his headband.

"Tebe ne nuzhno skryvat', chto ty dlya menya dukh."

"Ya znayu, Dzhara …"

Zelislav ran inside. Breathing rapidly and in bursts. "Glowgen's on TV!"

Stanislav turned his head. His weak voice, although in a Ukrainian accent, replies to it.

"Should I see..?"

"Stanislav… I'm not so sure you should. You don't sound well."

"I agree with Zeli on this."

Stanislav became quiet. Closing his eyes again as it appeared he's falling back asleep.

"Any ideas why Jara?"

"Not when Shu, Asami, and Niya are around."

"Sorry then," Zelislav walks out.

Jaraslav turns his focus once more back towards Stanislav, shaking him for a moment.

"You should see the others."

"I guess so…"

Jaraslav helps Stanislav out of bed. Observing how Stanislav fared when not in the comfort of the sheets. Following him as he limped, leaned forward. His head to the side while his cheek layered over his hand.

As they head into the living room, Drahoslav, Dvinaslav, and Asami sat on the couch together, Zeli and Niya on a loveseat, and Shu standing up. All with their lips zipped up and glued to the television.

"N-No…" Stanislav said again, gripping his head as he starts to shake.

"So, you're awake finally," Drahoslav said.

"What happened..?"

"Aren't you seeing this? Glowgen's headquarters is burning! Something happened, and now Glowgen's headquarters is on fire!"

Jaraslav watched Drahoslav talk to Stanislav. Holding his hand at the edge of the couch as his fist clings on it.

"You sound excited, Draho…"

"Of course! They've been playing with us since day one since we were in hospital with Gabriel's Haizi persona!"

"Drahoslav Cizik…" Jaraslav said. "Don't get too excited. Don't want Stanislav triggered from your words or anyone else's."

"He's a tribune like you and me. He gets to hear what I have to say without any restrictions."

"He trusts Dvinaslav and Ino more than you or me."

"Heh, snow-"

"Wait just a minute, Draho!" Jaraslav walks to where the two could face each other, eye to eye, pushing his finger towards him, "What you are speaking is not how we should be talking to our equals…"

"He's like everyone else. There are times to celebrate and times where the real business arrives."

"Especially when Stanislav's one of our equals in our same squad!"

"Why is it about me..?"

"It's not about you." Jaraslav and Drahoslav replies in unison.

Dvinaslav soon got up. "What the fuck!? It literally was about Draho's treatment of Stani!"

"Isn't about him anymore."

"Then you two beefheads deal with it outside! Not in here with Stani watching a slapfest!"

"Says the tribune who engages in the most violent incidents in the Fortress."

"H-Hey!" Stanislav yelled, "Don't fight..!"

Jaraslav turns to face Stanislav. "Just stay away from us for the moment. Drahoslav and I are just having a disagreement about something…"

"I wish Suiiki was here, would put Draho in his place…" Dvinaslav sighs.

"Suiiki probably isn't aware we're isekai'd into SAO-"

Stanislav shakes, both his fists clenching as he almost collapses on the floor. "Why bring her into this-"

"Draho!" shouts Dvinaslav, Jaraslav, and Zelislav.

"What's wrong?"

"Stanislav's mood is taking a nosedive."

Before Drahoslav or any of the other comrades could try and do something about it, Stanislav ran back to the room he was in.

Jaraslav sighs as he watches his comrade retreat. Quivering his head with a hand over the face. "You see why tone and context are important. Why throwing pointless insults get you nowhere…"

Suddenly, Shu and Asami stood up and walked towards the group of silent and disturbed tribunes. Both in casual clothing. Asami approached Jaraslav in particular. Placing a shoulder on him as her long raven hair flips for a moment.

"I wish to see Stanislav. Can I?"

"You may, Asami."

Asami backs her hand and makes distance. Leaving Shu, who was better for tougher conversation, to be with the rest of the comrades. Walking past the bland corridor connecting the living room to a lavatory, two bedrooms, and a master bedroom. Each with doors as before.

Stanislav tilts his head as he noticed her head peeking out.

"Hi there." she'd wave. "Can I come in?"

"I guess you can…" he replies.

Asami fully enters the room, sitting next to Stanislav. He didn't look at her, but he appeared to listen.

"So you're Stanislav?"

"Yes… My name is Stanislav… Fifty-Seventh Squadron Tribune."

"You probably don't know my name. It's Asami."

"Asami…"

"A-Actually umm... You should call me Asa." Asami shook her head.

"Okay… Asa…"

A pause came out of Asami. Leading to silence in tandem with Stanislav's unwillingness to say something to her. Fidgeting her fingers while she thought about what to say next.

Stanislav turns his head slightly to stare at the floor, "Why pay me any attention… Why not talk to my other comrades… Why drag me in..?"

"Shu's doing that. I noticed you're a talking point for those two."

"What about Draho and Jara?"

"You have a connection with Jaraslav?"

"A-Actually…" his voice softens. " Most of the time, I'm their punching bag for jokes and spars. "

"Can you speak up, please?"

"They treat me differently… Even after two years since I became tribune..."

"They didn't want you doing stuff at Denver?"

"Jara said it was because of my injuries... When we fought Uugu..."

"Uugu?"

"Head of Foreign Legion… Almost decimated all of Eastern Europe and our homes..."

Asami smiles, "You showed them why you're a tribune as you called it?"

"They didn't give me chances… Only when Lieutenant Jelusic intervened did I have any chances… Only fieldwork in war being the campaign in Transylvania, Battle of Cluj-Napoca, and d-defeating Uugu..."

"Stanislav? Something wrong?"

His hand overwent his eye as he gripped on his headband, shaking as well as a result. "T-The only thing that made me happy to be alive was Suiiki… She seemed to understand my pain…"

"Suiiki?"

"It's… Embarrassing… She's a tribune too..."

"Should she-"

"Of the Twelfth Squadron in East Asia… When Uugu was k-killed… I-I felt as if the only thing tying me to not give it all up... Was eviscerated in energy… As if I killed my last chain… I killed Suiiki... All I do now, question…"

Asami's eyes widened. However, didn't stop him.

"Am I human… Or am I not…"