So explanation time. For some reason when I loaded this initially I accidentally loaded the rough draft, when I realized this and that the view count was still low I deleted it and planned to finish it off after I got home from work. Guess what? FF fucked up again like it has been doing since the first of this month and I lost over half this chapter.
So, I'm sick of the PM's asking what the hell happened and I have NO intention of rewriting a freaking boss battle tonight so I'm just going to post what survived and what I managed to rewrite. Honestly, I love the size of this site's community, but my god is dealing with the systems quirks soooo not worth it at times.
The three current occupants of the Kirigaya household's living room stared at the television silently as they absorbed the conversation that had just passed between Keiko and her friends, and their reactions to it were rather varied.
Kou for his part, looked sheepish and a bit nervous, Suguha was blushing brightly as she absently played with the hem of her sweater trying her best to seem unimportant, while Midori remained placid as she sipped her tea looking completely unfazed by her daughters words.
Eventually Kou took a long look at Midori's unconcerned visage before he coughed into his hand and asked, "So...umm... You're not all that surprised about what Keiko and Argo are planning, are you?"
Midori shrugged one shoulder lightly as she placed her teacup on the table before turning back to him to respond in a languid tone.
"If you had ever met my father you would understand her thought process a bit more clearly I think. Keiko was raised to be... Hmm... well, brutally pragmatic to a fault I suppose. To her she isn't doing anything wrong per say, she is simply taking advantage of the situation to its fullest extent. Dad taught her how to survive and thrive, and she is using all the resources she has available to her to do just that."
She laughed a bit while shaking her head before continuing, "That, and she thoroughly enjoys getting a rise out of people, and the reaction from those boys must have been an excellent payoff for her or she wouldn't have planned her timing as she had. It was fairly obvious Argo was playing off of her too, I'm going to have my hands full with those two when they get free that much is for sure."
Suguha pipped in with, "Grandfather had a lot of sayings he imparted to us during our training. One that Keiko always took to heart was 'If you aren't cheating, you obviously aren't trying hard enough.' Oh, and 'If you ever find yourself in an even fight, you better figure out exactly how you screwed up,' and that's how she operates her life. Anything goes."
Suguha sighed while rolling her eyes to the ceiling before letting out a snorted laugh, "I just wish she wasn't so blunt about her opinions on sex, it gets embarrassing at times. Thankfully she usually just keeps to herself in public when it comes to that sort of thing and saves the commentary for when we're watching tv."
Kou nodded slowly as he absorbed this information and what it implied for Asuna's ongoing growth. Pushing that aside for now he turned back to the television and he couldn't help grinning when he saw that a massive group had formed up around Asuna and company, and that they were all listening intently to the young woman's instructions.
She was pointing at a map Argo had spread on the ground and would occasionally lean towards the information broker and her partner taking in their input with a stern glare. After Keiko or Argo whispered into her ear she would quickly follow up with a nod before turning back to detailing the boss fight layout, pushing the stone markers about with a determined look in her eyes.
"Asuna is certainly getting into the spirit of things, and she has all the hallmarks of a good manager what with the way she listens to Keiko and Argo's advice. I...I hope your parents are proud of her, she is most assuredly going to grow into an amazing young lady," Midori said sounding a bit sad as she quickly refilled her teacup. It was fairly obvious she had read between the lines and had inferred the truth of his sister's situation.
Yeah, their parents should be proud, but they wouldn't be, because Asuna was thinking for herself now, and that wasn't in the cards as far as their mother was concerned. Father would likely be secretly pleased but he'd never voice that to his wife, best to keep his head low and avoid her wrath after all.
Kou had occasionally wondered if he and Asuna were adopted, because it would truly explain a few things about their lives and their complete and utter inability to stand down when finally pushed to the brink.
Neither of the Yuuki children were passive or submissive, and they were properly proud of that fact even if they had to hide it most of their youth. They'd both been blessed with intelligence, guile, along with a drive to succeed. So the prospect of becoming nothing more than a house wife was really something that grated on Asuna and embittered herself towards their mother in ways the woman couldn't even begin to comprehend.
Kou shook that thought off as Asuna jabbed a finger into the map while spinning her other hand in the air to gain the attention of the gathered masses. As the group tightened their circle Kou could only stare at the young woman a few moments before evenly meeting Midori's gaze while shaking his head lightly.
"No, they wouldn't be, but you know what?" Turning back to the monitor Kou couldn't help the grin that crawled across his lips, "Me? Hell, I couldn't be prouder."
Asuna finished her explanation of the boss fight with a nod to her partner who had been silently psyching herself up for her speech, it was time to do this, she could do this... she could do this.
"Alright people, listen up!" As the gathered raid turned to Kirito she jumped up onto a tree stump, and after coming to a rest she crossed her arms beneath her beasts while grinning widely as the wind caught her jacket sending it flapping lightly in its wake.
In game dramatics working in your favor, yay.
"Here's the deal, I, am awesome." Asuna snorted and Klein managed to stiffle a laugh as the rest of the group shifted about uncomfortably, Kirito though looked completely nonchalant as she twirled a finger to the sky while smirking in wry amusement.
"I mean really, I've led dozens, hell, hundreds of players to victory as we trained and refined their abilities. I've gained skills other players have never even heard of, I co-lead the raid that cleared the first floor, I'm partnered with the most badass swordswoman in this game, and my best friend is the most scary in the know information broker Aincrade has ever seen."
Asuna blushed brightly at this while Argo nodded once in acknowledgment, she was the shit and she knew it, no reason to hide the facts and all that.
Kirito let her smile fall as she shifted about slowly while she calmly met every pair of eyes focused on her and a few moments later she chuckled nervously shaking her head and extending a hand before her.
"That being said, I am humbled beyond words that you all are willing to let me lead you. You all, every single one of you, are the bravest men and women I have ever had the honor of knowing. You are all fully aware that this raid, this attempt on the second floor boss, could easily lead to your ignoble death."
Kirito pinched the bridge of her nose as she shook her head a moment before she quickly extended her arm to sweep her long hair behind her ear as she continued her speech with energy and fire, "I'm awesome! And yeah I know it! BUT you all are AMAZING! Kayaba fucked up and he fucked up hard! You know why?! Because you are all crazy awesome, and you know what? All the best people are crazy! So I ask you all, you brilliant crazy bastards, are you ready to kill this blasted cow and show that psychopath who exactly he has pissed off!?"
Kirito couldn't suppress the slow grin that curled up her lips as everyone, from the lowliest of grunts, to her newly minted lieutenants, and even her closest friends raised a fist to the air and cheered with her.
Maybe being a leader wouldn't be so rough after all, she had at the very least gained a few points in 'Epic Speech Building' which was kind of cool in on itself.
Yeah...she could do this!
"Thank Kami, Buddha, Allah, Christ, and Obi-Wan..." Hayato muttered as he watched the gathered crowd cheer Kirito while the Black Queen grinned down at her subjects. Turning to his friends the green eyed man ran a hand through his white hair while asking, "Ok how do we want to play this?"
Nagi spoke up first, "Messiah complex? No no wouldn't work she's far too cynical for that... Ok not a purposeful religious figure... "
"An accidental one," Tsunayoshi threw in as he walked up behind the violet haired woman, wrapping an arm around her waist he pulled her close as he continued. "She has made it very clear that she has little faith in anything but herself right? So making her be a kind of religious focus for those trapped in the game works. Hell she's enough of a manipulator that she would probably do it on her own if given the time wouldn't she?
Hayato grinned viciously as he began typing on his laptop, "The dynamic savior who ignores class divisions in an ongoing effort to free her comrades from the clutches of a madman!"
Nagi froze, a single violet brow raising up as she turned to her friend in confusion, "Wait... What?!"
Hayato's grin turned into a giggle as he chomped down on his cigarette in glee, "Exactly!"
Tsunayoshi tapped his chin a moment before nodding in understanding, "I like it, completely honest but confusing as hell and empty enough where nothing of value is actually said. Basically it's nothing more than-"
"-A fluff piece. Yeah, my thoughts on the subject at least." Hayato stated blandly as he continued to type away on his computer, eventually he paused and turned to his friends raising a brow lightly as a thought occurred to him.
"Err...you don't think she's going to blame us for any of this do you?"
Nagi and Tsunayoshi exchanged a glance before grinning and shaking their heads a moment before Nagi replied, "She reminds me of a more ruthless Kikuoka, so I'm sure she would definitely appreciate our spinning skills. Especially since we're only mitigating the effect of those idiots plan to broadcast her entire life on a livestream."
Tsunayoshi grimaced at that running a hand through his tousled hair, "Lets just hope she doesn't, you know...snap and kill someone. That'll take some effort I really don't feel like exerting."
Hayato froze and stared at his friend blankly for a moment before returning back to work, "Don't even joke about that. I just...no, one disaster at a time please. My blood pressure just can't take anymore stress from that brats antics right now."
Tsunayoshi snorted in amusement before acquiescing to his friend's plea, primarily because the liquor was finally kicking in and trying to have an intelligent conversation with someone as brilliant as Hayato drunk was just a losing battle.
Glancing back at the television he noticed that the group had already initiated the boss fight and couldn't help sighing as the battle lines were drawn. Kirito raised her blade, roared out a war cry, and the raid group charged the minotaur boss Colonel Nato.
"And here we go..."
I gave Lily a copy of the Progressive novels, so hopefully she can help arc this out in the near future. On a side note, I can't wait to be done with this goddamn floor. Swearing intended, you have no idea the hate I hold for this right now and I'm so glad we're moving on.
All.
Of.
My.
Hate.
But not for you guys, you guys are amazing!
Please review!