Author's Note: A big thanks to All'Round Cowgirl, milliardozala, and AllyKat82 for helping beta. I've been looking at the same words for nearly a year, so they helped find little mistakes I overlooked. Enjoy!
20 July 2024
Floor 50, Algade, Agil's Trading Post
14:43
"Hey Agil, are they still trying to get a statement from me?" I asked the built, dark-skinned shopkeeper as he walked into his second-floor flat in his shop.
"Yeah, but they're not getting anywhere. I've already had about a dozen different 'reporters' come in to ask of your whereabouts, and all of them were turned away. Of all the non-combat occupations people took up, I never thought somebody would decide to be a reporter," he responded.
"People are strange when you're a stranger. It's better that they take up reporting over working a street corner. Besides, with all the people coming in asking questions, doesn't that help your business?" I remarked.
"I guess you're right about the customers. I ought to put up a sign that requires some sort of purchase to ask about you guys. So how long were you going to be staying over here? It's not that I have a problem with it, I'd just like to plan for the immediate future. And nightly rates, if it comes to that," he asked.
"You and your money, Agil!" I laughed before continuing. "The news should blow over in the next few days, since by then we'll have killed the Floor 66 boss and Aincrad will have something else to obsess over. Like the game being two-thirds complete."
"I don't know about that, Kirito," Lisbeth commented from the twin-sized bed at the far corner of the room. "Talk is cheap when the story is good, and the tales grow taller on down the line. If anything, they might just get more obsessed with it after the boss fight, creating false truths and exaggerating what isn't false."
"She's right, you know," said Agil, "But I'll head back downstairs to take care of the next wave of customers while you two figure this out; lunch time's almost over. Don't do anything adult while I'm gone, you hear?"
"Don't worry, Agil!" I answered as calmly as I could with a beet-red face. Lisbeth quickly blushed as intensely as me and buried her face in the bed's pillow.
Okay, so we've kissed in the past, but we haven't done anything like that! And we weren't about to do anything here of all places and times! Not that we were going to do anything to begin with!
"Uh-huh, well I'll be back later." He laughed, shook his head, and closed the door behind him as he left.
Funny. I'm going from one second-floor sanctuary almost straight to another. First with Liz, now with Agil. I guess it's good that I never got my own place, else I'd probably be stuck here anyway.
After Sky Runner Derek left with his new sword, he went and revealed his happy find to just about every info broker, newspaper, and town crier he could find. Like wildfire, news of my skill and different action shots made their way around Aincrad and onto every self-respecting front page. Only now did his comment about commissions covering the cost make any sense. The bastard's probably got more money than he knows what to do with by now. Maybe I should have taken up his offer for that duel. It probably would've taught him not to mess with a veteran clearer and his personal business. But Lisbeth argued that if I picked a fight, it would only make me look worse and become more vilified...
In any case, I've been staying at Agil's shop for the last day or so to avoid the fusillade of questions different people have for me. Some clearers wanted to know how they could get the skill, civilians want to know how it works, and newspapers want to know anything they can to fill out a column. Hell, even Argo was hounding me so she could update the Skills and Abilities section of her handbook. As tempting as it is to stand on a soapbox and tell everyone everything I know to get everything over with, I've learned to dislike the public spotlight. I mean, the last time I was in it, people were ready to hang my likeness from a tree.
Even Liz was having a hard time conducting business as usual at her shop. Since she was in the photos as well, it was clear that she knew of the Dual Wielder and had seen what he can do first-hand. Yesterday, those visiting her shop quickly went from average customers to insatiable interviewers. Before long, she spent more time shooing away notepad-wielding players than servicing those in need, so she joined me in Agil's upstairs flat this morning. In that time, we were able to work past our little quarrel and get on friendly terms again. I just doubt we'll get to go on quests, dates-that-aren't-dates, or finish weapon orders any time soon. For now, we're supposed to read, converse about something we somehow haven't covered, or figure out a way to sneak off to the front lines and not let the crucial time before the raid go to waste.
What's the big deal with my ability anyway? I mean, that guy from Titan's Hand from the time I helped Silica was also able to dual wield and use sword skills. Hell, if he were spending all this time training instead of rotting in prison, he'd probably be further into the skill than me.
But I'm the Beater, Black Swordsman, and a notorious member of the Assault Team, so I guess this makes for a better story.
"Hey, instead of hiding from the players all day, why not just release a written statement? With that, you could explain everything you know so people can just read that instead of flocking to you for answers?" Lisbeth asked as she pulled out a writing quill and stack of papers.
"Because everyone's going to stop obsessing over it before we know it. I think that one of the smarter things to do is to leave it alone and let any results speak for themselves. In the meantime, we could just stay out of sight and let it blow over. Besides, how would we get it distributed quickly?"
"We'll have Agil take it down to a print shop and let it take care of itself."
"But don't you at least think this whole thing could handle itself?" I asked.
"No."
"I'm just saying that-"
"You're seriously wanting to just sit back and not even try to take charge of a situation?" Lisbeth interrupted, "You can't be at a teleport gate without drawing a crowd to yourself, which means there's no front lines for you. If you want to be able to be in public without being hounded by players with nothing better to do, then just write it! If not for you, then do it for me! I can't run my shop until I can actually interact with customers about business!" She moved the quill and paper even closer to me on the table.
*sigh* All right... this is more of my problem than hers. I shouldn't let my problems impact Liz so badly... Especially since every day wasted means untold profits taken away from her.
"Okay, if that means you can carry on with your business, then it'll be done."
I took a few sheets of paper and the quill, then started writing my testimony.
"Thank you," Liz sighed in relief and let herself fall back on the mattress.
If this is something I can do to protect her...
One hour and five pages later, I finally got together the final version of the paper I entitled The Beater's Manifesto: Thoughts on Dual Wielding. In it, I covered the time I learned of the skill, initial problems I had with it, known sword skills, my general thoughts on the skill in itself, and what I think of the unnecessary publicity from it. Thankfully, Agil came back upstairs for a quick status check a few minutes after I finished.
"Hey, Agil! Can I ask a favor of you?"
"What is it this time?" The tall, dark shopkeeper asked as he closed the door behind him.
"Do you think you could head over to the nearest print shop and sell this to the editors there? I was thinking-"
"Sorry," Liz interrupted from the mattress, "I was thinking."
"Right. Liz was thinking it'll quell some of the public thirst for information. Just enough for them to leave us be for a few days."
"You two and your bickering, I swear." He laughed and shook his head before he continued. "Liz, did you bother him with this until he gave in?"
"You know it!" she replied cheerfully.
"I thought so. Well how much do I ask for when we talk numbers?"
"I don't care about the money. If anything, just ask for however much you'd charge us for a few nights' rent and food."
"If you say so. Is there anything else?"
"No, not right now. Pantry is stocked, barrel is still pretty full, and this one," I pointed my thumb towards Lisbeth, "Has been astonishingly quiet as of lately. I guess as long as things stay that way, everything's good!"
"Hey! I was quiet so that you could focus on the paper! So we could do more than stay cooped up in the flat!" Liz sat up and snapped.
"It was nice nonetheless!" I teased.
"It'll take some time to get used to all the bickering. Sometimes it's hard to remember that a Tier I clearer and expert blacksmith are hidden in your avatars. Be good, you two. I'll be back," Agil gave a small wave and left the room.
"Sure thing! See you soon," I called through the door.
What am I doing? It's not like he'd hear me.
I turned back to Liz, who was rather busy giving me a dark stare.
Oh shit, I messed up, didn't I...
"I'm sorry, Liz," I said apologetically, "Did I tease you too much?"
She kept her stare and exhaled sharply.
"Liz?"
"I'm sorry, I thought you liked it when I was quiet. That things in here are 'good' when I have my mouth shut," she responded coldly.
Oh no... damn it, Kazuto...
"I'm sorry, Rika. I shouldn't have gone there; I'm an idiot."
Her face slightly relaxed when she heard her actual name, then slowly hardened again.
"And?" she asked softly.
"And what?"
"And the rest of your apology? Let's hear it!" She sighed and crossed her arms.
How could I have let myself screw up so easily and blatantly? I shouldn't fight it, especially when it was sheer carelessness on my part. I really am sorry, Liz... I didn't realize that that would hurt the way it did.
"I shouldn't be treating somebody I care about so dearly in that kind of way. I know it would have been really easy for you to hunker down at Asuna's or simply lock up your shop and stay in there. And despite that, you still went through the trouble of coming all the way here so we could each have good company while this mess gets sorted out."
"That's right, you idiot... You really are a handful, you know that?"
"Yeah... I know." I got up from the chair and sat next to her on the mattress. "I can't thank you enough for putting up with that part of me."
She turned and gave a slight smile. "You're lucky I know you're much better than that, dummy. I won't be as forgiving next time! We're in a safe zone, so I won't hesitate to show you the business end of my Indian Gunstock!"
I scooted away and raised my hands to shield myself.
"Wait! I said I was sorry! It won't happen again, Rika!"
"It better not, Kazuto!" She laughed, then grabbed my hands and pulled them down. "And relax, I said I'll bring it out the next time!"
There really is something about you that puts you above everyone else, Liz... I seriously can't thank you enough for putting up with my antics... And for sticking around.
"You okay, Kazuto?"
"Um, yeah! Why do you ask?"
"Because you started staring and got a goofy look on your face, that's why!" She teased. "What exactly were you thinking about?"
"Just... a thank you. For staying around. I couldn't ask for a better person to be locked in a room with!"
We both laughed at my remark, then started looking around the room.
"You know what? I think I could honestly say the same."
"I'm glad the feeling's mutual," I laughed again and smiled.
"Hey, Kazuto, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"How do you plan on handling the boss raid tomorrow? I mean, do you think the others would like it if you just showed up?"
I took a moment to think of my response.
"Ideally, yes. With any luck, the statement would help clear things up enough to get on peoples' good side. I mean, a big reason people hate me is because they always feel like I'm hiding something from them. With everything I know about Dual Wielding for Aincrad to see, maybe they'll learn to trust me a little more. Also, as much as I'd hate to sound arrogant, I can't help but think I'm too important to the Assault Team in boss raids. Level ranking aside, it's often me, Asuna, Heathcliff, Lind, and Klein spearheading the raids. The five of us figure out attack patterns, time attacks and defenses, and cover players who need to heal. Even if they didn't like me around, I don't know if they could afford losing one of the leaders in the front. Under the five of us, we haven't lost anyone in the last sixteen boss raids."
"So basically your position is safe?"
"Essentially. I mean, the Sky Runners are almost certainly going to be there, but I seriously doubt there's something they could do about me being there."
"As long as you stay safe, dummy..."
"I know, Rika! After we're done raiding, how about we go to Jesse's Speedway again? Maybe we'll actually get to start what we order this time around," I suggested with a smile.
"Let's do that," Liz accepted, returning the smile. "And maybe I could have you over for the night again!"
"W-what? Why do you say that?" I asked with a blush forming on my face. "I'm sure I'd be able to find an inn somewhere..."
"Well yeah, but I just thought... it might be helpful if you unwound at a familiar or comfortable place as opposed to a generic inn." Now it was her turn to turn pink.
"I-it's," I stammered, thinking of what happened the last time I spent the night at Lisbeth's house, "It's not a problem, Liz. Besides, I wouldn't want you thinking I'm taking advantage of your kindness."
"I wasn't going to think that, especially since I offered, but if you change your mind, you let me know, okay?"
"I'll remember that, Rika." I rubbed my face in hopes of covering up my still-blushing face. "Thank you."
"Any time, Kazuto!
Not that I have a problem with it, but where'd this confidence come from? Does she really feel that relaxed around me?
"What do you say we try to get out of here for a while? As much fun as it is to be locked in a shop all day, how about we go somewhere to pass the time?" she offered.
"What do you suggest we do? We can't train, since most of the clearers are bound to be in the good grounds, and we can't fill out an order, since we'd be spotted en route to your shop."
"Then how about we take a walk somewhere? There are plenty of forests to walk around in the lower floors, aren't there?"
"It sounds fun, but it'd be tough to find a spot that'd be mostly empty."
"So you're saying you don't want to go?"
"I'm not saying that." I opened my menu and began scrolling through my Friends list. "I'm saying I'll need to ask an old friend of mine if they know of any good places."
"How long should that take? Don't take this the wrong way, but I think I'm starting to get cabin fever."
"It shouldn't take long," I answered, "But cabin fever already? You've only been here about six or seven hours!"
"Yeah, but we've been doing almost nothing this whole time," she added. "The most eventful thing happening was you sitting and writing for an hour."
I did my best to think of a response while I typed the message to Argo.
Recipient: Argo
Subject: Info; Forest Location
Message: Hey, Argo! I need to know where there's a good, mostly empty forest to get lost in for a few hours. We're getting sick of staying in the sanctuary for so long and wanted to kill the time before the boss raid tomorrow. I'd prefer it if the forest were on a lower floor to minimize the chances of being recognized. Thanks.
"So you mean to tell me that my failed attempt to cook lunch wasn't eventful?"
"That's right!" Lisbeth paused to laugh. "You tried so hard to not burn the meats, only to leave the rice steaming for too long."
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that the rice would lose its durability if it was there too long.."
"Don't worry! I'll just call Asuna to help us out next time around; she's been steadily raising her Cooking skill."
"Really? I wouldn't have taken her for that type, given her complete determination to clear the game."
"Well, she is. I guess she got sick of eating poorly-made and bad-tasting NPC food and decided to take matters into her own hands."
"That sounds like Asuna."
Then I heard the faint ping of an incoming message.
Sender: Argo
Subject: RE: Info; Forest Location
Message: Glad to know you're not off the grid, Ki-bou. There's a quiet forest outside of Coral on the 22nd floor. Despite waves the news of your Dual Wielding made up here, it looks like the lower floors either couldn't care less, or just haven't distributed the news yet. Notoriety aside, there aren't many players occupying the floor anyway, so it looks like you'll have a quiet venture. I included a map, just in case you haven't explored that part yet.
Is your fair maiden going to accompany you? You know, if you've managed to stay hidden for this long, I doubt anyone would interrupt whatever you two start in your safehouse. You don't need an empty forest to get some privacy. In any case, this info's free; I'm sure you've had enough to worry about recently. Use what you'd pay me to take her to dinner before you work your magic, you womanizer!
My face instantly turned red when I read the latter half of the message.
Damn it, Argo! I know you're just kidding around, but you don't have to take it so far!
"Everything okay?" Lisbeth asked. I guess she saw my reaction.
"Y-yeah, everything's fine!" I stammered, trying to keep what's left of my composure.
"If you say so.. Any word on a location?"
"Yeah." I pulled out a pair of teleport crystals from my inventory. "There's supposed to be a good area on Floor 22. Word is that the floor's largely uninhabited, so we can explore the area without a problem. New map data is definitely a help, too."
"It didn't cost you too much, right? I know some info brokers aren't afraid to rip off clients when they're needed most."
Should I tell her? Oh, why not?
"She didn't charge me for it. Instead, she said to use the money I'd pay her with to take you to dinner."
"Oh, okay." Liz looked away to conceal her smile. "So where are we going for dinner then?"
I wonder how she'd respond if I were to tell her why Argo told me to take her out.
"We could figure that out later. In the mean time, we should change out of this garb," I suggested, gesturing to my black long-sleeved shirt and pants, then her red shopkeeping dress. "Just because we're going to a place where we're largely unknown doesn't mean we have to make it easy to be recognized."
"Good point," Lisbeth concurred. "Turn around so I can change!"
"As long as you do the same."
"Fine!" she said as she turned to face the window. "If I catch you looking, I'm going to slap you."
Well damn, that tone sounds especially serious. Though I don't plan on watching her, wouldn't she have to be looking at me in order to catch any peeks? Even at that, I'm not sure what the big deal is; nothing's revealed when new apparel is equipped in place of something else.
"Relax, I won't," I reassured as I turned to face the door and opened my menu.
Let's see.. I won't be able to wear any black. I guess I'll go with a darker blue shirt and jeans. And armor? No, I'm sure we'll be fine at our levels. If a clearer at level 85 and smith at level 63 can't handle trash mobs on Floor 22, we shouldn't be playing MMOs.
"Ready to go?" I asked when I had my clothes and emergency dagger equipped.
"Yup; you can turn," she answered.
I spun around to give her a response before I found myself at a loss for words. She was changed into a black tank top with green cardigan and steel-gray pants, and even changed her hairpin from white to black. As if her appearance weren't distracting enough, something about the way the light poured in from the window gave her an almost angelic aura.
"How do I look?"
Y-you look beyond great... It's... beautiful...
"I guess the look on your face is enough of an answer!" she declared before I could say anything.
"I-it's not that! I was just trying to put the words together!"
Was I really giving off a strange look? You know what? What difference does it really make? She knows very well that I like her.
"It's okay, Kirito; I'm just playing around with you. I like your choice of clothes, too! Royal azure really suits you - probably more than black," she noted.
So that's what this kind of blue is called. And I'm sorry to disappoint, but I'll stick to my usual look on regular days. I'm the Black Swordsman, not the Azure Swordsman.
"All right, well if we're both ready to go, then let's head out!"
"Gotcha." She held up her teleport crystal.
"Teleport, Coral!" We said in unison.
Floor 22, Coral, Teleport Gate
16:03
The bright afternoon sun greeted us warmly as Lisbeth and I stepped off of the gate. Around us, about a dozen vendors had their carts set up selling fish, vegetables, and other grocery items. Whether or not they were all NPCs didn't worry me. Thankfully, we'd dressed out of our signature looks for the hike, so players would have to recognize our faces in order to get anywhere. However, I'm not so sure it'd be difficult to spot Lisbeth, since I've never seen another player sport pink hair.
"What do the mobs look like on this floor look like?" Liz asked.
"Nothing bad, if I remember correctly. It shouldn't be anything worse than upgraded mobs from Floor 1. Argo also added a few notes where mini-bosses and stronger mobs spawn so we can avoid them."
"That was nice of her, but can't we handle mobs at this floor with no problem?"
"Yes, but you said you wanted to go on a walk, and so I'm going to make sure we can do that. Dealing with monsters here would just get in the way," I answered.
"I see.."
We found a small bench about ten meters away from the gate and sat down to plan the venture. With the map in my hands and Liz on my right, we looked through the many trails and sights and decided on a route. From the market center, we'd head south past the outskirts and into the forest, until we find a boardwalk trail that'd take us east to a fork near the treeline. From there, we'd head back northwest to a small clearing to rest up, then go northeast to one of the many lakes on this floor. There, we could see about skipping stones, fishing, or whatever else comes to mind. Finally, around sunset, we would go back west until we were back in town, see about having dinner, then go back to Agil's shop. By that point, it should be about eight or nine in the evening.
With the plan in mind and still in town, we bought a pair of fishing rods and small bucket of bait, a few food items, a large red blanket, and decided a place for dinner. Finally, we were off. Before long, the outskirts were behind us and we were surrounded by trees, shrubs, and the humm of nearby insects.
"The forest looks really pretty in the later afternoon," Lisbeth observed, looking all around us as we slowly walked towards the boardwalk.
"It really does." I looked up to the rays of light poking through the branches and leaves above us. "It's a really nice break from the dark, dusty, ominous dungeons closer to the top..."
"Or the hot, dark, banal forge room in the back of a shop."
"Don't you ever take days off?"
"Sometimes. I take most Sundays off and the typical holidays, but I rarely go out. I usually just read, lie around, or fill in the display cases. After a while, shopping, grinding, and watching 'gladiators' fight in the arenas gets old."
"When was the last time you went for a walk like this?"
"Well... I haven't," she answered shyly. "I'd thought about it for a while, but I was worried something would happen if I ventured off alone. I didn't want to ask any of my regulars to come along, since they seem a little too happy to see me at the shop, and Asuna's always on the front lines. Then there we were locked up endlessly, so I thought that this was a good time to try it out!"
"Ah, I see," I chuckled. "So how's that going so far?"
She gave me a small smile and took my hand.
"I'm enjoying it so far, but let's hurry! I want to see the boardwalk!" Lisbeth urged as she gradually accelerated into a jog.
"Right behind you!"
What started as a jog quickly turned into a foot race through the low-hanging branches, over the rocks and high roots, and around the larger trees until we finally found the narrow, lengthy wooden road. Thanks to the rough terrain, I couldn't fully turn my AGI and END points into running speed, so Liz took an early lead, kept it, and extended it in the last leg. Before I knew it, she managed to get to the boardwalk a few seconds ahead of me.
"And taking Gold in the 400-meter forest dash, Rika Shinozaki from Tokyo, Japan!" I panted as I finally caught up to her.
Good grief, why was that so difficult to run through? And why am I so out of breath?
"Coming in for the Silver is Kazuto Kirigaya, of Kawagoe City, Japan!" she followed along laughing as I put my hands on my knees to catch my breath. "What an upset, ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for watching!"
"H-how did you get ahead of me so quickly?" I steadily caught my breath as I stood up straight again.
"You kept looking at me and stumbling over things you'd've otherwise seen, dummy!"
"Ha.. Well, it serves me right for not focusing on my own progress.."
"Yup!" She stepped up about a half meter onto the ledge and reached a hand out to me. "Need help?"
"I don't," I took her hand and climbed up next to her, "but I'll happily accept it. Thank you, Liz!"
The road was only about a meter and a half in width and made all sorts of twists and turns to circumvent some of the larger trees in its path.
"You're welcome. So about when do we get off the boardwalk and head for the clearing?"
I pulled out the map and looked for the markers I set.
"We're going to follow this for most of its length, and go left when we reach a split. If we keep following the main part, we'll get to the treeline and another settlement instead of the clearing. If we take the split to the northwest, we'll get to the clearing, and then the lake."
"Great!"
Lisbeth:
Once Kirito and I found the boardwalk, we started following the path through the woods. For nearly ten minutes, we walked alongside each other in a comfortable silence while we admired the scenery. About five or six times, he's brushed his hand against mine while swinging his arms. I know it shouldn't get to me, but it's hard to think about the sights or plan when I'm constantly getting distracted.
I almost wish we were actually holding hands, that way getting distracted wouldn't be such a worry... it would just be another thing to enjoy. But then this would effectively turn into a date... as much fun as that would be, we essentially agreed that we would make sure we weren't rushing anything.
"What are we waiting for, Kazuto! Let's just make this a date! The anticipation is killing me! I like being held by you! I love the warmth our hands give when we hold them! And the times we kissed... just... ah! I care about you more than I could ever tell you! Just let me show you! Let me make you happy! At least let me try..! Why do we have to let all that time pass us by? Even if it doesn't work, I wouldn't hate you! We could still hang out all the time!" I wanted to say.
*sigh* I have to understand where he's coming from, though... I know he doesn't want to be hurt again by somebody important leaving him. I just wonder what it'll take to make him realize that I wouldn't let something like that happen. Can't you just give me a chance, Kazuto?
"Are you okay, Rika?" Kazuto asked.
You have no idea...
"Yeah, I'm fine! I guess I forgot that we weren't in the real world again.. You know, the songs of the birds, humming of the insects, and warmth of your hand..."
Darn it, why'd I let that slip?!
"Oh, you noticed that.. I'm sorry. I'm trying to find that middle point where I'm not about to tumble humorously onto the ground below, nor am I attaching my hip to yours," he explained.
"D-don't worry! It's okay if it happens," I responded a little too quickly. "Should I move over some?"
"Don't worry, you're perfect!"
Calm down, he was referring to the spot you're standing in!
"All right!"
So we walked in silence, once again looking to the surroundings. Time with Kirito aside, I really do enjoy being out here like this. With the stresses of mortgage payments on the shop, all the frustrations in the business itself, and then the general lack of free time, it's really nice to escape everything and try living for once. Sure, helping the clearers push towards Floor 100 would help us return to the real world faster, but why make the time until then stressful and burdensome? It's no wonder thousands of players took to reporting, shopkeeping, or simply became a citizen of Aincrad.
When we approached the split on the trail, we took the deviation as planned, and in a few minutes, we ended up in the clearing.
"Wow, it looks even nicer than I remembered," Kirito marveled.
"When was the last time you were here?" I asked.
"Probably around the time the Assault Team came through here. If I remember correctly, we cleared this one in a matter of days, so I hadn't spent much time on this floor. Back then, I was more focused on getting out of here than anything else, so I never came back," he explained.
"Ah, okay..."
If this place weren't so far away from the front lines, it wouldn't make for a bad place to live. It's really quiet, there are so many places to explore, and more lakes than I can count... But I'm happy in Lindas.
"Did you want to see about the picnic here, or wait until we got to the lakeside?" He asked.
"Picnic?"
"Isn't that what the food items and blanket were for?"
That's right... But I don't know if it's such a great idea to make a date-like setting when that's not what this is... As much as it kills me to think that, I don't know if I could keep up the 'partners looking to escape problems at the front' facade if this gets anything closer to a date... I have to respect his desire to avoid rushing as much as he respects that I have deep feelings for him... Damn it, Kazuto! What are we waiting for?! You're going to drive me crazy, I swear...
"Why not save it for the lakeside? That way there's something for when we put the fishing rods to use!" I suggested.
And so that I'll have an easier time keeping myself contained. Friends go fishing all the time, right?
"If that's what you want!" Kirito extended his arms to his side and fell back onto the grass. "Wow, I knew the grass would be soft, but I didn't expect it to be this soft!"
"Why'd you just fall back like that?" I burst into laughter as he suddenly collapsed into the plush, green field.
"Did you not listen to me? I said I knew it'd be soft!" He started laughing in response.
"Yeah, and if it wasn't? Dummy," I said as I copied his dramatic fall about a meter away from him.
Instead of the impact and whiplash that I expected from the fall, I was met by a cushion-like surface. I guess the grass absorbed just about all the shock.
Wow... this really is soft... Almost like a mattress.
"See what I mean?"
"Definitely..." I closed my eyes and leaned my head back.
I could probably fall asleep here if I were tired...
"Hey, could you come a little closer?" I heard from my left.
"W-what?" I asked.
W-what's he got planned?
"Could you come a little closer? I was hoping we could get this on a record crystal!"
"Oh, okay." I started to blush slightly as I moved closer to him. "How's this?"
He responded my sliding close enough to leave us a few centimeters apart.
"Right about here works." He smiled and pulled out the teal-green crystal and held it above us at arms' length above us. "It's on a three-second timer from when I activate it, so smile!"
"Of course!"
How could I not? You actually called me right next to you so we could get a photo together!
Kirito:
The teal-green octahedron briefly flashed as the timer expired and the photo was taken. Contrary to the steel-blue variant, which captures audio, the green crystals could capture images, and darker versions could capture full videos. Luckily, I managed to pick up a few of the image-taking crystals while Lisbeth had her back turned in the market place. I can't imagine how I'd explain away my purchase of these right before our little venture without sounding like I was preparing for a date... I mean, this is the first time we actually go out someplace that wasn't tied to some quest or order. There was the trip to Jesse's, sure, but was that really going out? We were there for about thirty minutes, after all.
In any case, I've secretly wanted to have a photo of us two on that bulletin board Liz keeps in her forge room ever since I found it the other day. Klein's a great guy and all, but why does he get to have a photo up there with her and while I don't? Wait, what would she caption this one of us two? I guess I shouldn't worry about that bridge until I cross it...
"Hey, can I see the photo?" Liz asked when the crystal fell back onto my chest.
"Yeah, of course." I picked it up and tapped on one of the edges. From it, the still from just a moment ago projected into the air above us.
"Look, you came out great!" she exclaimed, pointing to my half of the photo.
In the projection, the two of us were giving a bright smile, and the lush, green grass under us was even greener than in our vision. From the upper edge of the frame, a few beams of light found their way from the sun and seemed to land on Lisbeth, exemplifying her bright pink locks and white smile.
"Thanks! You did, too," I added sincerely.
"Thank you.. Do you think I could get a copy of this for my shop? It's too good to not have out on display!"
Yes! Side quest complete!
"I can do that for you," I answered coolly.
"I'll hold you to that!" She turned on her side and lifted herself to rest on her elbow. "Hey, do you think we should start heading to the lakeside? It looks like we only have about two hours left of light."
Five in the evening already? It's still fifteen minutes to the lake, and another forty back to Coral. That reminds me, we're going to have to restock on teleport crystals soon...
"Yeah, let's start heading that way!" I sat up, brought myself to my feet, then extended my hand down to Lisbeth.
She took the support and pulled herself to her feet.
"East, right?" I asked.
"No, weast," she joked.
"Ha, very funny."
"Oh, you're no fun! Let's go, before we run out of time!" She grabbed my hand and started tugging me in the lake's direction.
"Sure thing, right behind you!" I picked up my pace and quickly got a step ahead of her.
We should really go on more outings like this...
Thanks to our accelerated pace, Lisbeth and I were able to get to the lakeside in just under ten minutes. We'd accounted for a leisurely walking pace during our planning, so we were probably going to get there ahead of schedule anyway.
In any case, the sand from the treeline to the edge of the water was empty of NPCs and other players alike, so we had this part of the floor to ourselves. Luckily, there was a ten-meter pier close to where we exited the treeline, so we laid out the blanket on there, put the basket of food behind us, and sat on the far edge with our feet dangling off. Afterwards, we materialized our fishing rods, the bucket of bait, and began preparing to cast.
"So we're supposed to use small fish to try and catch bigger ones?" Lisbeth asked as she quizzically looked at her bait minnow.
"Yeah. Have you been fishing before?"
"Just once when I was little... but I would just watch my dad and uncles while they did the fishing... It's the first time I'm doing any casting and reeling.." She turned a little red and bit on her lip.
A day of many firsts, huh? Well, it's an honor to be a part of that for you, Rika. I'll make sure you'll not soon forget!
"All right, well like cooking, cleaning, and even combat, fishing is supposed to be much easier in SAO than in real life. Did you need any help attaching the bait?"
"No, I think I got it," she answered as she cautiously tapped on the minnow, then had it skewered onto the hook. "There we go!"
"Great!" I attached bait to my hook, then stood up and got into a position to cast. "So now we're going to position ourselves as if we're going to use a sword skill. From there, we let the system take over, then we wait."
"Well when did you learn to do this so easily?" Lisbeth got up and mirrored my motions.
"I went fishing a few times with the Black Cats about a month after I joined them," I replied as I cast my rod.
Strange... It didn't hurt me terribly to talk about them..
"Oh, okay. Well, I'll bet I'm going to catch a bigger fish than you!"
"So that's how it's going to be! I accept your challenge!" I laughed and nudged her shoulder.
A couple of seconds later, our hooks were sent into the water and we were sitting on the pier waiting for a response from the line. Though I wanted to talk to her endlessly the way we would other times, I wasn't able to come up with anything appropriate for the time. I mean, it wouldn't make much sense asking her what her favorite shows were while we're out in nature. I guess some moments are meant to be enjoyed in silence.
Looking around, I can see how easy it is to enjoy such a silence with somebody I'm close to. The trees behind us were swaying gently in the wind, the insects were leisurely flying around in their own world, and the waves gently rocked the bobbers a few meters in front of us. To top it all off, the evening sun behind us was giving everything a golden-red glow. Perhaps talking would ruin the serenity of it all.
So we sat there, our gazes moving from the bobbers to the trees, to the clouds, and sometimes each other.
I hope she's enjoying this as much as I am... I wouldn't want her to think I'm rude by not saying anything.
About fifteen minutes after our first cast, Lisbeth turned back to the basket and brought it in between the two of us.
"Were you going to want anything?" she asked as she opened it and reached inside.
"Just an apple, if you may," I turned and answered.
"Here you go." She handed me a large green fruit, then retrieved a sandwich for herself.
"Thank you."
Lisbeth nodded and started working on her snack, and I did the same. A minute or so later, things started to pick up.
"H-hey, I think I have something!" She dropped the last bit and stood up as her rod began to bend and straighten. Because of the food's low durability, it quickly shattered when it hit the pier.
"Great job, Lisbeth!" I cheered and stood up next to her.
"Ahh, what do I do?!" she asked frantically as rod started bending faster and more violently.
"All right, what you wanna do is keep a tight grip on the handle and reach for the reel!"
"I'm trying!"
At that point, the thing on the other end of the line engaged in a tug-of-war match.
"Okay, give him a little ground, then jerk back!"
Liz clumsily followed my directions and nearly tumbled off the dock as she jerked back on the rod.
Damn, this thing must be huge...
"Don't worry, I gotcha!" I cried as I grabbed her around her lower torso and pulled her back to balance.
"T-thanks!"
"Yeah! Now reel him in!"
She grabbed the reel and began furiously winding it back, continuing the give-and-pull method with the rod. The shaft kept bending violently at the maneuvers. Finally, the fish on the other end broke the water's surface about five meters away.
"There it is!" Liz cried.
Before long, the gray fish was breaking the surface much more often as Liz wound the string back onto her reel. Eventually, the reel was wound back enough to keep the catch out of the water and hang it halfway up the rod.
"Hey, great job, Rika!" I congratulated.
"Thanks! Not that I'm complaining or anything, but do you still have to hold onto me from back there? I don't think I'll be falling anymore," she asked.
Wait, what?
I looked down at my arms and realized that I'd never let go after she started reeling her catch in. If anything, I started squeezing tighter after she recovered.
"O-oh, I'm sorry!" I released her from the vice and took a step back. "I guess I just got carried away."
"That's okay," she laughed. "I mean, we did catch it in the end!"
"No, you caught it!" I corrected.
"While it was on my rod, I would've fallen into the lake if you hadn't caught me. Not to mention the tips you were giving me while I was recovering."
"But still, it's your catch! And your first one, might I add." I materialized the record crystal from my storage again. "So I'd say this moment is worthy of a photo."
"All right, but you'd better be in this one with me," she insisted.
"Okay, one of the two of us, then another of you solo," I suggested.
"Sure, fine, whatever! Just get over here!" Lisbeth waved me over with her free hand.
Once I set the timer, I complied and stood on her right side with the catch in between us and the octahedron at arm's length.
Just before the photo was taken, however, the fish gave one last flop in his final stand, startling both me and Lisbeth. As I turned in surprise and Liz let out a shriek, the crystal flashed and fell from my hand.
"Oh no, did I ruin the photo?"
"Don't worry, I didn't drop the crystal until after the flash."
I bent down and picked up the crystal and tapped on an edge to show the last photo.
"Well? How did it turn out?" Lisbeth asked nervously.
"A-about that..." I bit my lip to keep myself from laughing in front of her.
Because of the timing of the fish's last stand, the photo showed its body bent sharply with Lisbeth's face twisted in shock - right before she shrieked, I'm guessing - and my face giving a wide-eyed, blank stare to the fish and my companion.
"What? Let me see that!" She took the octahedron from my hand and held the photo closer to her face.
"You okay?" I asked as she started growing shades of pink.
"J-just retake the photo!" she insisted, pushing the crystal back into my chest.
"If you say so!" I laughed and stepped back into position. In an attempt to keep her calm, I placed my arm around her shoulders while the timer counted down. Thankfully, there was no final stand from the catch this time around, and the crystal flashed without incident.
"Better?" I asked, holding the photo up for her to see.
"Y-yeah," she answered, biting her lip as if to hide her blush.
It's really adorable when she gets embarrassed like that. Don't worry, Lisbeth, I'm sure I'll find a way to embarrass myself in front of you soon enough.
"Okay, so how about your solo picture?" I took a couple steps away and prepared for another photo.
"I... think I'm good with pictures for now," she started, "Let's see what else we can catch before the day ends."
"If that's what you want." I returned the item to my inventory, sat down on the edge, and retrieved my rod from the pier. "Let's see if I can catch something now."
Lisbeth put her catch in her inventory, then sat and did the same as me.
With the fish stored away, we were back down on the dock and cast our rods back into the water.
Over the next ten minutes or so, I felt a few tugs on my line, but came up empty each time. With every unsuccessful reel-in, the bait had been ripped off of the hook.
"Good grief, am I a bad fisherman, or just down on my luck today?" I asked with my third failed attempt.
"It might be you!" Lisbeth teased, giving a gentle shove to my shoulder.
"It's probably just a bad fishing day over here," I sighed.
I added fresh bait on my rod, cast it, and waited for the next pull. For about the next fifteen minutes or so, the insects and water were the only sources of sound.
I really hope she's enjoying the evening out here. If I'd known that fishing was going to be little more than staccato bursts of action between long periods of waiting, I might've planned for a longer forest walk. Maybe she wants to head back to town?
"Hey..." Liz broke the silence.
"What's up?" I asked, turning to her.
She bit the inside of her cheek and avoided eye contact for a moment before finally responding.
"C-could I lean on you.? I'm starting to feel a little tired," she asked nervously.
I exhaled through my nostrils and smiled.
Aww, Liz... How could I say 'no' to that?
"Of course you can, silly..." I answered.
"T-thanks," she smiled back and started leaning over.
I lifted my arm as she got closer and wrapped it around her upper torso when her pink hair landed on my shoulder, leaving my left hand the only one on the rod.
"Ready to sleep, Rika?"
"I guess you can say that... we have been out for a while already."
"I'm sorry, I thought there'd be a little less waiting than what we're dealing with now..."
"It's not that, I'm just a little weary," she yawned.
"That battle with the fish really drained you, didn't it?" I teased.
"Oh, knock it off!" she said as she re-positioned and slapped my chest.
"Ow! Okay, I'll cut it out," I laughed, then rubbed her side slightly. "If you're feeling tired, around when did you wanna start heading back?"
"To?"
"Dinner, master fisherman! You can't tell me that the small snacks in the basket were enough to hold you over; I've seen you eat!"
"Oh, that's right, you were told to spend the info money on me instead!"
"Well, it was supposed to be for dinner, but-"
"It's the same difference! If it's something that I'll end up eating, then it's being spent on me!" Lisbeth laughed and sat upright, but remained under my arm. "Not that I mind it, but what's with your arm?"
Haha, is she really going to question it?
"Well, I thought it might be a little more comfortable if I did that," I answered directly. "I mean, I do really care about you, so I thought that might be a nice way to show it. On top of that, I didn't think I'd be very comfortable if I had my right arm inactive and pinned with you there. If I won't be using it, I might as well leave it in a place where we both get something good out of it."
She blushed slightly and turned away before asking another question.
"Well that was pretty thorough... Thanks... Your chest is a lot more comfortable than your shoulder, by the way."
"I'm glad you feel that way..."
She looked down again and smiled, then turned back to me.
"Hey, I have another question: why are you so direct with me?"
"Because how can expect real trust between companions when one of them isn't honest with the other? Though I'm sure you trust me - and I really trust you, by the way - I don't want for there to be any doubt from you about me."
Lisbeth reached up and messed with my hair and smiled.
"Don't worry, Kazuto, I have complete faith in you... Despite the fact that you can really be irritating sometimes!"
"That means a lot!" I laughed. "I'll work on my irritable...ness?"
"Let's go with that," she suggested with a snicker.
I leaned over and rested my head on her shoulder and briefly held on tighter. A few seconds later, I got up, moved my right hand back to the rod, then started reeling in the empty line. Despite her slight dismay, I continued with the reeling. As adorable as she can be, I can't have her falling asleep out here.
"Sorry, but I don't think I'll be catching anything any time soon."
Lisbeth got up and started putting her items back in her inventory, then pulled out a copy of our map.
"All right... Need any help putting your stuff away?"
"No, I got it. Thanks, though."
I put my reel and a few other things away, then put some of the unfinished food items back in the basket.
"I'm surprised the durability hasn't given out yet on some of the things over here," Lisbeth pointed out, "Most of the time, if you don't finish these kinds of things in a half hour, they're gone."
"That's because the player-made items last a lot longer than NPC stuff. It's one of the things I learned when I started visiting player-run food stops more often."
"Really? I never really noticed."
"Don't feel bad; I had to hear the explanation from a player who tried to get away with overcharging. On one of my days off, I put her theory to the test and found it to be true, so I stopped complaining."
"Gosh, you're such a nerd..." Lisbeth turned and shook her head.
"You know what? You just learned something new because of the nerd you're joking about!" I playfully punched her shoulder halfway through my sentence.
"It's just an observation, nerd!" She stepped forward and reciprocated the punch.
Something about her tone made my face turn red, so I looked back at the items while I thought of a comeback.
"Well you're going to be stuck with this nerd for a lot longer than you think, so you'd better get used to it!"
Lisbeth reeled back slightly and turned away briefly.
"Y-you'd better realize having you around isn't the problem you're making it sound like," she said with a forced confidence.
"I hope you mean that, Rika, because I did. I don't really mind being stuck with you," I returned with a smile.
So is that how you're supposed to flirt? If so, I think I'm starting to get the hang of this...
"It's going to take a little more than that to make me blush, Kazuto," she smiled and crossed her arms, "But I do appreciate the kind words."
Damn, I guess I've got a long way to go.
"I wouldn't say them if I didn't mean it." I put a few final miscellaneous items back into my inventory, grabbed Lisbeth's hand, and started walking back to the shoreline. "Hey, you don't mind if we're like this on our way back, do you?"
She gave me a warm smile and tightened her grip.
"I'm okay with that... Plus, we can keep from getting lost or separated this way..."
Whatever reason it takes to hold hands, right?
Even though I was looking for a reason to (because why not? We're mutually more than companions on an outing, which would technically make this a date, and this is the kind of things people do on dates.), the sky is turning from a light-blue to a dark evening red, with an inky darkness looming from the east. If we were to walk separately, it'd be easy to get lost and stay that way... Right?
Maybe... we can actually go on a date sometime later on... I wonder how that would turn out...
About ten minutes into the walk back to town, I pulled up the virtual map and took a quick guess at our ETA, then turned to Rika.
"Looks like we're almost there. Did you want to sit down for dinner after all, or just get something for the trip back to the flat?"
"What time is it?"
"Almost seven-thirty."
"Umm... Let's just dine in. I mean, I don't think we'll be doing anything when we get back."
"Good point. What are you feeling like?"
"... I dunno," she said with a light shrug.
"Did you want seafood?"
"No, not really..."
"What about American?"
"Hmmm... not today. Too many styles to choose from."
Oh no.. not this..
I went down the list of places to eat in Coral only for her to decline all of them. She even turned down some popular places on neighboring floors. Every time she said "no" to a place, I would remember back to the times Klein would do his best to dish out girl advice...
"Listen here, Kirito. One day, you're going to be with a girl - maybe it'll be a date, or maybe after a hunt - but if you're going to go someplace for lunch or dinner or whatever, I promise that the first problem you'll have is her being indecisive. You'll ask her a million different places near and far, and she'll always say she doesn't want any of those places. When that happens, just pick a place and go there. Pick somewhere you think she'll like, find something you like, and she's gonna find something for her. I've only been on a couple of dates, but that's the one thing that was the same."
"You know what?" I started.
He might not be a ladies' man, but I think I can trust him on that bit of advice.
"There was this one good-looking tavern by the teleport gate. 'Herot,' I think it was called. They're known for their flame-roasted... well.. everything. If it can be eaten, they roast it over a fire and serve it. They'd probably serve you an entire sheep if you were up for a challenge. What do you think?"
Rika's eyes lit up as I went through my description of the mead hall. "It sounds great!"
Really? I wouldn't have guessed when you quickly turned it down...
"Then let's go, silly. It's not far from here." I grabbed her hand and tugged her until we got into town.
When we got back to Agil's shop, his lanterns were out and the CLOSED sign was put up in the window. I materialized the spare key, unlocked the door, and led the two of us inside. Lisbeth lit a couple of the lanterns, revealing a note on the counter folded to stand like a tent. I turned back to lock the door behind us as she went to read what he wrote.
"'Kirito and Liz, I'm staying at the Meadowside Inn about three blocks west of the shop. I'll be back about a half hour before opening time in the morning. Until then, I'm entrusting you two with the shop and its contents, so make sure everything's still there when I come back. Don't do anything adult in the mean time. Good night, and best of luck with the media attention."
"Good grief, Agil... I understand that we're teenagers and all, but we're not the kind of people to be all over each other," I muttered.
"I know... Well, maybe he was just trying to give us a hard time. We are the reason he's sleeping away from home right now."
"Yeah, I suppose.."
As Liz set the note back down on the counter, I walked past her to open the door that led to the upstairs flat. Once up there, Lisbeth closed the room door behind us while I changed into my black pajamas.
*yawn* "Hey, so how'd you like the outing? I could tell you had a great time at that Danish hall." I turned and asked.
She looked up from her open menu and shyly pointed her finger to the ground and spun it in a circle, as if to tell me to turn around.
Oh, all right. If that makes you comfortable.
Only after I put my back to her did she respond.
"I had a lot of fun... Thanks a lot for that, by the way. You weren't kidding about them and their fire-roasting specialty. They didn't even bother cutting my tiny catch before putting it in a soup pot." A faint light radiated from behind me. "You can turn back now."
"Well I'm glad you did! I had a great time, too. Maybe their cooking skill is high enough to do those things without worry. Or they had no clue what they were doing. As long as the food was good, right?"
"You got that right." She walked over and plopped on her back onto the mattress. "So how's this sleeping situation going to work? Did you want to take the couch, or try sharing the bed?"
"You mean to tell me that my only options are a small couch or a half-meter of a mattress?"
"There's the floor, too, if you're that adamant about having options," she joked.
"Hilarious," I deadpanned. "Just for that, I'll need you to scoot over; I'll take that half-meter!"
"If you're trying to turn this into a punishment, let me tell you now that you're failing," Liz remarked as she moved closer to the wall.
"I know better than to think that," I fired back, "I'm just trying to be comfortable!"
"All right, then!" she laughed as she pulled the dark green comforter over herself.
I turned the bedside lantern off and took my share of the mattress under the comforter.
"Hey Kirito, I have a question."
"What's up, Liz? Trying to find a polite way to send me to the sofa?" I joked.
"No, dummy... Why do you suppose we're always bickering?"
I guess my confused mind made its way to my face, because before I could think of a response, she gave a follow-up statement.
"I mean I know we're just joking around when we go back and forth those times, but I just wonder why it is we're always going back and forth."
She sat up, turned her back to the wall, and propped herself up on her elbow after she finished speaking.
I never really gave it much thought, now that she mentions it... Well, nothing beats honesty!
"Why we're always bickering... I think I'm just getting more comfortable around you as time goes by," I answered frankly. "I mean, a while back, I don't know if I'd be quick to have light-hearted, back-and-forth moments like that, but I've changed slightly in the time we've been - for lack of a better word - together. I can't help but feel like even if one of us said something that happened to insult the other, the response would be an equally sharp insult, and we'd move forward from there!"
This time, I sat up and propped myself up facing her.
"If I'm honest, I do feel really comfortable around you... I feel like I'm not just an asset, burden, or clearer, but a person. Somebody who has thoughts, feelings, and sometimes likes being taken care of." I stopped and smiled. "And if I'm thinking correctly, I'd say you feel about as comfortable as I do, if not more."
Lisbeth returned the smile, then grew a little pink.
Liz:
"I'm glad you feel that way around me," I said with the confidence I could muster.
"I... love spending time with you," he said nervously, "It's... a different kind of comfortable when I'm with you, if that makes any sense."
It means that I'm making progress towards you... whether it's a little or a lot. I just wish I could get that chance already... As much as I care about you, I truly don't know how long I can handle waiting for you...
"Hey... If you're so comfortable around me, then... don't freak out if I start to take over your share."
"I won't, don't worry," he reassured.
"Good." I returned to lying on my back, and he did the same. "Well, we should probably try getting some rest... You have your raid tomorrow, and I've got a shop to try and run."
"You're right... Good night, Lisbeth!"
Kirito pulled the blanket up to his chest, let his fingers interlock over his stomach, and let his head face my direction after he closed his eyes.
I brought my hand up and played with his hair for a second or two.
You're so cute when you have that resting face... A stranger would never guess that that's the face of the fiercest fighter in the game.
"Hey, what was that for?" He opened his eyes, grabbed my hand, and asked me.
"Just wishing you a good night, dummy... besides, you're the younger one, so I get to do things like that to you!" I teased.
He reached up and messed with my hair before turning onto his side once more.
"There, now we're even. Good night.."
"Night, Kirito..." I laid on my back again and stared up the ceiling. Either I did that for longer than I realized, or Kazuto is the type to fall asleep quickly, because I heard a light snoring coming from his side when I decided to turn and face him once more. The battle-hardened, serious face he usually wore had gone away for the night, and the face of the resting, innocent kid was standing in its place.
*sigh* What do you have to go through to turn into something like that... I know there's so much more that you've been through that you haven't told me yet... And I don't know if it's good to keep those painful memories locked away. You do your best to look after me and make sure I'm safe every chance you get because it's something you can do. Well I want to do my best to keep track of you and make you happy every chance I get, because it's something I can do for you.
I reached over and rested my right hand on the side of his face, running my thumb over his cheek.
If you're anything like you were the time we met, you're probably still awake, so I won't try anything funny this time.
When I had my fill of holding his dormant face, I reached down and held one of his hands with mine, then closed my eyes for the night.
I love you... I'll see you in the morning...
Author's Note: I hope you Doors fans liked the little nod I gave to the LSD-inspired tune that is "People Are Strange" with that bit of REO Speedwagon to follow it up (that one being "Take it on the Run"). Thanks to shows like Psych and Suits, I've developed the habit of weaving song/movie lines into my speech and writing. Love it or hate it, it's bound to happen.
Thanks for reading, and have a great day!