CHAPTER 5.5 IRL-2

It had been a grueling two months for one Nodoka Saotome, a time when she could see her son as much as she wanted to but he could never see her. In a rather ironic way it was almost a reversal of the whole Ranko fiasco, where the child saw the mother but the mother was the one unaware.

Seated by her unconscious son, Nodoka held his hand hoping that somehow he'd know she was there or miraculously wake up while she was there. She would spare glances to the Tendo daughters in the room so if anything were to happen she could tell Soun, but the final patient in the room was someone Nodoka made it a point to ignore as much as possible.

Despite that, Nodoka spared Shampoo's unconscious form a glance and frowned. "All I have to do is take that helmet off for a brief moment and she'll get what she deserves." She said to herself quietly, her hand twitching as if waiting for the signal to do exactly that.

"I see that hand move and you won't have it anymore." A voice called to her from behind.

Nodoka didn't turn around but she stilled her hand. "How long have you been there?"

"Just long enough to hear you think out loud about killing my heir." Cologne answered as she positioned herself to be opposite Nodoka, making sure both women saw each other and could not do anything without the other seeing it.

"Just an idle thought, no merit to it." Nodoka said.

"You'll understand if I don't merely take your word for it. You'd be the same if the situation was reversed." Cologne replied.

"You're right, I would."

"Why are you here Saotome-san?" Cologne asked.

"The same reason you are, to visit my child."

"No, that is not all there is to it. If that was truly your intention you wouldn't have mouthed off like that. Are you tempted to commit murder and just can't yet find the courage to do it yet? Are you like the boy we had to force out of here no less than a month ago?"

The Saotome matriarch narrowed her eyes. "I am nothing like that horrible boy."

"Are you sure?" Cologne asked. "He came here claiming he was just visiting my great-granddaughter, but when he did he tried to kill your son. Openly and shamelessly. It's only because we were there and he was hurt by your sword that he was stopped."

Nodoka nodded. "I remember. And we got the hospital to agree to never let him set foot in this building again. But we couldn't get him arrested since Nerima gives a lot of legal leeway in fights."

"Sometimes too much so if you ask me." Cologne mentioned. "But the point reminds, if you contemplate killing someone you're no better than he is."

Nodoka closed her eyes. "I don't want to kill anyone. While my son is going to marry Akane no matter what you claim, I know he will be upset if this girl dies because of us."

Cologne was silent for a moment. "Saotome-san, may I ask you a somewhat personal question?"

Nodoka looked apprehensive. "Such as?"

"Do you care about what your son wants at all?"

Nodoka looked mildly offended now. "Of course I do. How dare you accuse me of not?"

"I made no such accusation."

"The mere fact you asked is accusing me of not caring."

Cologne shrugged. "I suppose so, but I have something for you to think about. Suppose hypothetically, your son told you he did not love Akane and would not marry her. What would you do?"

Nodoka frowned. "That will not happen."

"But suppose it did. What would you do? Accept his choice even if you don't approve? Or tell him it doesn't matter what he wants?"

"It is a matter of family honor. Such a thing is too important to ignore for selfish desires." Nodoka answered.

Cologn arched an eyebrow. "So ultimately you don't care about what he wants or thinks. You just expect him to mindlessly agree."

"Like you're one to talk. You who try to force a Japanese citizen to live according to your foreign policies." The sword-wielding woman argued.

"And you tried to force him to submit to your judgments of him when you spend a decade away from him and intended to judge him based on shallow values. Tell me, did you truly spare your son because you were convinced he was manly, or because you had already gained a fondness for him as Ranko and therefore felt guilty about what you planned?"

Nodoka continued to frown. "I do not have to justify my decisions to you."

"Then tell me just one more thing. If someone came up to you and attempted to arrange an engagement to your son's female side, would you refuse?" Cologne tested.

Nodoka gave no answer.

With that, Cologne crossed her arms. "You'd actually think it over, wouldn't you? Despite the fact you want your son to be manly and married to a woman of your choosing, you'd at least be open to the idea of him having a husband too. Open enough to at least consider it rather than outright deny it."

"Well at least it wouldn't interfere with the honor of the Saotome and Tendo families." Nodoka claimed.

Cologne glared. "You just proved me right. Despite what you may tell others or even yourself, ultimately you don't care about your son. You just see him as a pawn of yours to fulfill some promise your husband made before he was even born."

Nodoka stood up, furious. "How dare you speak to me this way?!"

"I dare because it's true and you know it." Cologne continued, unintimidated. "You prioritize the happiness of your lazy husband and his equally lazy friend more than your own son if you're willing to disregard his wishes in favor of theirs. And despite your claim that honor is too important to ignore, you did not deny the possibility of circumventing it if possible. Then again you did marry Genma Saotome so I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised."

"And you're one to talk? You're trying to force my son into a marriage against his will."

Cologne nodded. "You can say that, but there's one very key difference between you and me here Saotome-san. I am not his mother, it's not my responsibility to prioritize his happiness. It is your responsibility, and you are ignoring it."

Fuming, Nodoka turned around. "I am going to go out for a bit. Do what you need to do with your child, and when I get back I don't want you here."

"That's not your decision to make Saotome-san." Cologne called out while the other woman left. 'As stubborn and short-sighted as her husband. I wonder where the fat fool is anyway.' She asked herself while looking at Shampoo.

"Let us in! Do you know who I am?!"

"I told you last time I don't care. Come back here again and you'll be arrested." A security guard said while trying to force out an irate Genma and Soun.

The two fathers were at a company called Argus, the place that had created Sword Art Online. Within moments of the big reveal to the public about the true nature of the game, many people had tried to rally against the company demanding it to release the trapped players. It was a public relations nightmare if ever there was one.

Two of those people had been Soun and Genma, demanding the company release their children. And as usual, the two filtered out any answers that were not what they wanted to be given. Thus they had come to the company repeatedly in hopes of getting the answer they wanted.

"Listen to me you hired goon, I am going to get in there and your bosses are going to release our kids or so help me-"

"Yeah yeah I've heard it before sir. Need I remind you what happened last time you made this threat?" The security guard responded.

"I'm prepared this time. Nothing you have planned can stop a martial artist of my cal-" Genma started, only to be silenced by the guard reaching out and hitting him with a taser that knocked him off his feet.

"I'm a bit disappointed you fell for that again." The guard said, mostly to himself.

Soun stood by, looking at his downed friend then to the guard. "Please, be reasonable. My daughters are trapped in this game. I just want them back. Is that too much to ask?" Waterworks were flowing as expected from him.

The guard looked as firm as ever. "Sir, do you honestly think I have any control over this game?"

"No, but you're stopping us from speaking to someone who is." Soun answered.

"Look sir, think about this. You seem to be basing all of your hopes on the idea that someone in this company can magically get your daughters out of this game safely. Despite the fact that so far not one person playing the game has gotten out alive yet. Am I right?"

Soun nodded.

"Don't you think that maybe, just maybe, if such a method did exist or was discovered by now that it would have been shared?" The guard asked. "By your assumption, this company does have a way to free the victims yet chooses not to. So what makes you think they're going to release your daughters just because you asked them to? You think you two are the only parents who have children trapped in this game? You think your kids are the ones that deserve to be released while everyone else stays trapped?"

"But... but... it's a matter of family honor. You see, we-"

"It's none of my business why you feel you have to have them awake today sir." The guard cut off. "No matter how much you hate to hear it, there is nothing that can be done for you right now. Asking the same question over and over again hoping that will change a 'no' into a 'yes' is not going to accomplish anything. Instead it only shows how childish you yourself actually are. So go home and pray, that's all anyone can do at this point."

Soun stood there defeated, not able to say anything that wouldn't be merely repeating himself. Genma however was getting back up on his feet.

"You think you've beaten me? I told you nothing you say or do is going to stop me." The fat martial artist promised.

"And I told you nothing you say or do is going to accomplish what you want."

Genma narrowed his eyes. "I don't believe that! I will never believe that!"

"Not my problem sir. Leave or you will be forced to leave."

Genma smirked. "I'd like to see you try. Ready Tendo?"

To his surprise, Soun just shook his head. "Saotome, this is futile. There is nothing we can do to help our children anymore."

"You can't be serious Tendo!" Genma objected.

"I am."

Genma frowned as if betrayed. "Fine, then if you're too much of a wimp to ensure our futures are secure then I'll have to get our kids myself!"

Before anyone could do anything, Genma suddenly vanished before their eyes.

"Whoa, what did he just do?" The guard asked.

Soun was aghast. 'He actually used the Umi-senken? Which he forbade even Ranma from using? Is Saotome really this desperate to get results?' He looked to the guard. "He's likely already in the building. You better alert everyone you can, or else my friend will potentially put everyone in the game at risk."

Genma didn't release his Umi-senken until he got to the second floor of the building. Just long enough to get past any initial guards. 'Phew, I'm too out of practice with that to do it for long. I better try sneaking around the normal way until I need to disappear again.' He thought while hiding in an empty hallway. 'The problem is I don't know where to go, or what I'm looking for. But I'm sure it can't be that hard to find a computer.'

Knowing that he couldn't simply walk around checking every room he saw until he found something, and knowing he couldn't risk being seen, Genma tried to be sleuthy. At first it seemed accomplishable, until he heard several footsteps getting louder, and they sounded like people looking for something rather than merely walking somewhere.

Acting quickly Genma enacted the Umi-senken again, and he remained still while two security guards went past him, completely oblivious to his presence. He smirked victoriously as he released his technique then went in the direction the guards came from, figuring that was now in the clear.

On the wall there was a sign that listed the various floors and what jobs of the company were where. 'This could help.' Genma thought, looking it over. 'Aha! Game SAO data, it's on the fifth floor basement. I think I can hold the Umi-senken that long, especially if I pace myself. It's harder to be that stealthy when you move in a hurry.'

Back to his state of invisibility Genma casually but silently went down the stairs one floor at a time. He would have taken an elevator if he wasn't paranoid about it being or getting crowded and thus increasing the odds of someone spotting him. The Umi-senken wasn't true invisibility after all, but more a way to sort of trick other people into not noticing you, something that was more difficult to do when more people were around.

As soon as he reached the fifth underground floor he was forced to stop by a large group of security guards, armed with handcuffs, tazers, and pepper spray, all looking like they knew he would come this way.

"What the-?" Genma said, coming into visibility again. As soon as he did he was ambushed. It was tanks to the element of surprise that they managed to take down the overweight martial artist. "How did you find me?" He asked as he was pinned down, though it hurt to talk.

"We were told you had some trick to become unseen to our eyes. Even if that is true, apparently it doesn't work on security cameras." One of the guards told him. "You're going to jail for this you know."

Genma frowned. "You're not cops."

"No, but we've already called them to come pick you up. I'm sure this is going to earn you a few nights behind bars."

'Damn, if only this company was in Nerima instead of Tokyo, then I'd get off scot-free.' Genma mentally hissed.

"Is something wrong?" One of the employees of the company asked, looking out from one of the rooms.

"No, not anymore, just a trespasser trying to interfere with the programs keeping the poor victims of Kayaba alive." One guard answered.

"Well we can't have that. Please take him away." The employee said before closing the door.

Genma tried putting up a fight as he was dragged away, only to receive even more hits from the tasers.

"What was that?"

The employee who had looked into the hall, one of the low level techies in a white coat working at Argus trying to keep the company from declaring bankruptcy, locked the door and turned around. "Nothing, just some minor commotion. But we should hurry before people wonder what we're doing down here by the mainframe."

"I trust you did what I paid you to do?"

The techie nodded. "Yes sir, but once again I must insist that this is a bad idea."

"Yeah yeah I remember you saying that when I approached you. I am aware of the risks and still committed to this."

"Even so, I feel I must warn you again of the dangers you're requesting Mr... what was your name again?"

"It's Mousse." The Chinese boy answered irritably. "Just because it's Chinese doesn't mean it's hard to pronounce."

"Sorry, I'm just bad with names. Makes me glad I work in a place where we all wear name tags." The techie commented. "But in all seriousness, why are you requesting this?"

"I told you, the woman I love is trapped inside this game your company created, and since you won't let her out I'm going in to keep an eye on her. You took the money I offered, it's too late for you to back out now."

"I'm aware of our deal, but I have reason to be concerned, for both of us. If anyone found out I helped someone new log into the game, I'd lose my job and probably be arrested."

Mousse rolled his eyes. "There's no law against playing a game and if this company was so afraid of this then they shouldn't have provided the game in the first place. Besides, it's their own fault for not adding some kind of security measure to prevent additional logins."

That was something that no one had considered until he asked. Once news of SAO was given out, no one had dared tried to log into the game, even if they still had the equipment and programs for it. No one who had failed to login upon initial launch of the game would dare try now, and it was generally assumed that after a few hours login would have been impossible anyway.

Apparently it was not impossible, new players still could get into the game if they had the equipment.

But no one would, or could now. Argus had immediately ordered a recall on all unused Nervegear to avoid additional victims to the games, around the same time the players were transported to hospitals and put on life support at Argus's expense. It was part of an attempt to avoid a lawsuit that would have surely crippled them over several times. In a way it had worked, the only reason the company wasn't already stripped to the bones by lawsuits was because doing so would push the medical expenses of the trapped players onto their families. And there weren't a lot of people who could afford on their own to provide life support to someone for an indefinite amount of time.

The techie led Mousse to a room in Argus's basement, where several of the Nervegears were contained. "That is true, but remember, once you go in you can't get out until the game is over. Kayaba-san left us a specific message on that regard and the security feature of the helmet destroying the brain if removed has been confirmed by autopsy reports. So before I even try to hook you up to the system and tell the medical transport team to take you away, you are going to answer some questions for me."

Mousse was annoyed by this, but at the same time a bit amused by the fact this man who only worked with computers actually thought he could intimidate a martial artist of his caliber. "Alright, I'll humor you. Ask away, but I got a question first. Is this really all the Nervegear you have? I imagined more would have been confiscated, yet I only see maybe thirty on that shelf."

"Well remember that Sword Art Online did get a lot of hype. To our knowledge, almost every player logged in within the first hour of the launch time. I think maybe out of ten thousand people who had Nervegear, roughly only ten failed to log in the first day, and by that evening they eagerly gave the equipment back. Most of this gear came from dead bodies, and the majority of Nervegear given to us was destroyed. These are the ones we keep around to study in hopes we can deactivate the security feature and avoid more deaths."

"I'll take one that hasn't been used. Don't want to risk the security feature going off on its own." Mousse requested.

The techie nodded and grabbed one such Nervegear off the shelf, putting it near a computer with the game disc inside that would allow a player to access the main program for the game provided by the company. It was the same basic principle as a game on your cellphone, the data for the game itself was saved and stored elsewhere while the phone accessed it. The helmet and disc worked as an accessor to the main program of SAO, though after login only the helmet was required.

"Mousse-san, you say you're doing this because a girl you care for is inside the game. Why are you preferring this course of action rather than wait for the game to end and reunite with her then?" The techie asked.

"That is not an option when this is instead." Mousse insisted. "These past two months have been hard enough knowing she's with him. I will get her back."

The techie blinked a few times, clearly hearing the venom in Mousse's voice as he said this. "Let me get this straight Mousse-san, the reason you're willing to get into this dangerous game and paid me to make it possible, is because some guy is already in this game and you want to get him away from this girl you like?"

Mousse's expression steeled. "She is my woman and that bastard has no business being with her for even two minutes, let alone two months. I will not tolerate them being together any longer. And since I've been legally forbidden from going to the hospital to visit her or kill him, this is the only option I have left." He glanced at his right forearm where he saw the scar that Ranma's mother had left on him.

The techie frowned. "If this girl really is so important to you, then why didn't you login with her in the first place?"

"How was I supposed to know she couldn't log out? Besides, I tried, but she..." He silenced himself, not wanting to admit he had been turned into a duck and locked away again just so he wouldn't bother Shampoo and her guests while they were playing the first few hours. "Look, I paid you to do this, why I wish it is none of your concern. So do your part."

Still frowning, the techie nodded. "Very well. All I'll say now is that upon arrival in the game world you will have beginner skills and equipment. You will have to work your way up and everyone else in the game has a good two month head start on you. If you wish to survive, I recommend you do more than just look for one girl. Especially if this guy you've got a problem with fights back.

At that moment Mousse finally felt a moment of hesitation. While in real life he believed he could easily beat Ranma if the pigtailed martial artist wasn't such a cowardly cheater, this situation was clearly different. Ranma would have an undeniable and completely legitimate advantage over the bad-sighted weapon expert, and he would not be afraid to rub it in Mousse's face.

The hesitation however passed with a simple thought. "Then I'll just have to fight dirty."

"Alright, just remember Mousse-san, you asked for what you're about to experience. And again, I cannot guarantee this is even going to work. For all we know, you truly can't log in and you will remain here. Understand?" The techie warned one last time.

"Yeah yeah I got it." Mousse said with disinterest.

Seeing this, the techie simply shrugged. "Now get ready."

Mousse laid down on a gurney the techie had already got into the basement. This way moving his unconscious body later to a hospital would be easier. He put the helmet on his head, removing his glasses to make it easier and putting him in his pocket. With a satisfied smirk, he waited for the techie to signal that the equipment was working.

"Link start."

AN: Now I know some people aren't going to like what I did here, but first think about it like this. Mousse like most people in the series is a very sore loser. And he's completely obsessed with Shampoo, borderline unhealthily so. Ranma and Shampoo sharing the time of SAO together like this where he can't do anything about it is NOT something he would allow to go unchallenged. He naturally wouldn't risk Shampoo's life but he'd have no quarrel whatsoever with killing Ranma to ensure the threat is gone. Keep in mind he was more than happy to attack Ranma during the Moxibustion Arc and has openly admitted honor and pride aren't important to him compared to getting Shampoo for himself. And since we can't have him succeed or else there'd be no story, that leaves him with only the options of leaving them alone or trying to get inside the game to stop them from within. Look me in the monitor and tell me he wouldn't try that, I dare you.

Also in regards to Mousse not going to jail for attempted murder, well as much as I'd like that to happen, I feel I must point out the obvious and say this is Nerima. Ranma has been attacked in broad daylight in numerous public places, such as markets, bathhouses, amusement parks, school, etc. with people screaming "Prepare to die" at him numerous times. And not once has anyone been legally punished for it. I highly doubt that this would be the time Nerima's cops would get off their asses and do something about it.