Okay, it's been a while since the last time I published a side story here, but here's another one. This one will be about Asuna, Sinon and Sinon's habit of always wearing something around her neck (you'll understand it when reading this side story), and it takes place on the day after the events of chapter 49 of "The Hollow Instructor".


It was a peaceful, sunny morning in Arc Sophia. This was the perfect atmosphere to relax, and one of those players who took this chance was Sinon, who was sleeping soundly in her inn room. To be fair, the room would've been quiet even if a ferocious storm had been raging outside, and Sinon would've slept in today either way.

The day before, she and Akinym had finished their quest to get the Fleece of the Ancestral Ram, and the last few days had been hectic in general. On top of that, she'd be quite busy the next few days, too, so Sinon used this chance to take a day off. Getting some sleep was only the first thing on the list for this day.

It was 10 am when the sound of her alarm clock woke her up. Well, technically speaking, she had woken up earlier, but she had refused to get up, so she had been lazing around in bed so far.

Speaking of the alarm clock, it was actually just a recording crystal that had been set to play back its recorded message at a certain time. All of the girls had got themselves such crystals, and they had recorded whatever alarm sound worked for them. In Sinon's case, it was the sound of the waterfalls on the 94th floor.

Getting these alarm clocks had actually been a precaution. This was supposed to keep Klein, who had given such an alarm clock to Leafa, only for her to be scared witless by it on the first day, from getting any ideas about giving any of them one. For a while, Leafa had been traumatised to the point that she had been flinching and jumping a little whenever she had heard Klein's voice without seeing him, and none of the other girls wanted to suffer a similar fate.

Anyway, Sinon deactivated the recording crystal again, got up and walked over to the mirror in her room. On her way there, she stretched, and then, she opened her inventory to put on her attire for the day. Just like that, she was more or less already done and ready to go out.

One thing Sinon had always considered almost too convenient in SAO was how much easier her morning routine was. Aside from the fact how easy getting dressed was, there was also no need to brush her teeth or even to take a shower, at least not normally.

Even taking care of a bed head was incredibly easy. In order to keep things simple, SAO's system didn't simulate every hair separately, but larger strands of hair as single objects instead. It was a bit weird that different hairs ended up being connected, but there were advantages to it. For instance, unkempt hair could usually be fixed easily just by pulling those strands back in place.

While Sinon was thinking about all that, she remembered that her usual routine in the morning had been even easier up until yesterday. The reason for that was that her old armour was the kind of clothing she could even wear in bed, so she had usually done just that. Well, she had removed certain parts like her chest protector, but that had been it. To be fair, her new attire was still comfy to wear, especially thanks to the add-on Soft Interior, but the metal plate around the chest would've got in the way if she had tried to sleep while wearing it.

That thought led to the next one: Sinon still had her old gear, so she figured that she might use it as pyjamas. Hm… Or maybe she'd get some today. After all, she wanted to go on a little shopping trip with Asuna, so that would be the perfect opportunity.

Sinon let out an anxious sigh when she thought about that. Hopefully, Asuna wouldn't go too much overboard… Given how... energetic her friend had been the day before, Sinon wasn't exactly optimistic about that, though.

Well, Sinon could only wait and see how things would turn out. Despite her worries, she was looking forward to today. As long as she could avoid getting dressed up in a frilly, ridiculous outfit, Sinon was sure that it would be a nice, enjoyable day, so she went to the door with a spring in her step and opened it.

Asuna: Good morning, Sino…

Sinon slammed the door shut. She took a deep breath and reached for her forehead. While she was massaging her left temple, Sinon pondered over this ludicrous situation. Why – just why – was Asuna standing right in front of her door with a bright smile?!

Well, there was only one way to find out, so Sinon stopped thinking about it, took another deep breath and opened the door again. This time, Asuna wore a rather sour expression.

Asuna: Why did you close the door on me like that? That was rude!

Sinon: Why?! Asuna, you were waiting for me to come out of the room like a creep! What did you think what I was going to do?!

Asuna [huffily]: Not like a creep! It's common decency to arrive a few minutes early, and I thought I'd wait for you here and not in the restaurant downstairs. That's all!

Sinon [suspiciously]: So you've been standing here for only a few minutes?

Asuna [slightly upset]: How long did you think I've been waiting right outside your door, Sinonon?!

Sinon [slightly exasperatedly]: Well, for a while, I guess. I've figured that you'd be thrilled by the opportunity to get a say in choosing my outfit. Or am I wrong to assume that this is why you were grinning like a Cheshire cat?

Asuna winced and looked away. Her expression was so awkward that it really left no doubt…

Sinon [thinks]: Busted. [says aloud, slightly cheerfully and reassuringly] Well, I guess I'll let you off the hook with only barring you from all of my buying decisions. I'll make them all by myself.

Sinon swiftly slipped past Asuna and walked downstairs with a small, cheeky smile on her lips. Asuna followed her, but certainly not in such a good mood.

Asuna: That's not fair, Sinonon! At least let me make suggestions!


One hour later, Asuna's mood hadn't become any better. They had gone to a few shops, and Sinon had stood by her word: Asuna hadn't got a say in any decision Sinon had made, no matter how hard she had tried. Now, Asuna was staring at Sinon with a very disgruntled look on her face. To be honest, it started to make Sinon feel uneasy.

Sinon: Don't look at me like that!

Asuna: What did you expect? We've been to several shops now, and you didn't listen to a thing I've said! I mean, when we went to that clothing store, you didn't even consider trying on one of the outfits I've picked!

Sinon: I wasn't looking for casual wear, you know? I don't mind wearing my battle gear in town, too.

Asuna: In that case, what did you buy the tee shirt and the sweatpants for? [huffily, slightly irritated] They don't even look good...

Sinon: I still don't want to sleep in these clothes. Lying down while wearing this breastplate is so uncomfortable… I also don't want to sleep in my underwear, so I had to get something.

Asuna: But if you wanted pyjamas, why didn't you at least buy something cute instead of this plain stuff?! I mean, there was one with snoozing bunnies on it! How can you pass on that?!

Sinon: I don't want that! Elaborate embroidery, imprints or other kinds of embellishment require additional materials and work, so clothes with those are more expensive without actually having higher quality. Nobody is going to see me in my nightwear anyway, so why would I pay extra just so that it looks "good"?

Asuna [pouts]: Why are you so stubborn, Sinonon?! It's not just clothes, you were like that in the jewellery store, too, even though they had so many accessories that would've suited you!

Sinon: Sorry, I'm not into shiny stuff! I mean, what am I? A peacock?!

Asuna [slightly upset]: That's not the point! [sighs, dejectedly] It's no use… Why are you even going shopping with me if you don't even listen to anything I have to say?

Now that Asuna stopped being pushy about the matter, Sinon could finally relax, but she also couldn't help but feel sorry for the other girl. She had a point: If Sinon was essentially just making her purchases all by herself, why had she come to the market district with Asuna in the first place? Right now, it looked as if she let Asuna tag along just so that she would stop nagging her about buying new clothes… which, to be fair, was actually exactly the case. However, now that she thought about it, Sinon had the feeling that it wasn't fair to treat Asuna like a total nuisance just because she kind of was one for once.

Sinon: Okay, Asuna, I'm sorry! [sternly, slightly annoyed] It's just that your obsession with dressing me up is a real pain in the neck, you know? Why is that so important to you anyway?!

Asuna took on a pretty serious expression, and she raised her right index finger admonishingly. The "lecture time" vibes she was giving off all of a sudden took Sinon a bit by surprise.

Asuna: That's because it's important to pay attention to your appearance! If you create a bad first impression, it will only cause trouble if you try to establish business relations, and it generally just reflects poorly on you!

Sinon [slightly at a loss]: What's this about business relations? Is your job as the KoB's leader getting to you, or why are you talking about such serious stuff?

Asuna blinked in surprise for a second while it was dawning on her what she had just said.

Asuna [slightly nervously]: O-oh, y-yeah. That's… [hastily] I guess that's it. [clears her throat, seriously] Anyway, the point is that you can't just walk around however you like! You're a girl, Sinonon! Don't you even want to look good?!

Sinon [slightly exasperatedly]: I don't want to run around like a ragamuffin, [sternly] but I don't want to look like at a costume party either!

Asuna: Come on, Sinonon! Isn't there anything you'd like to do about your outfit?

Sinon put on a somewhat troubled expression and averted her eyes. That reaction was already enough to get Asuna strangely excited.

Sinon: There is… one thing.

Asuna: What would that be?!

For a moment, Sinon hesitated to answer. She slowly put her right hand on her neck.

Sinon: This might sound silly, but with this new gear, I have this strange feeling that something around my neck is missing. I mean, up until yesterday, I wore this… Actually, I don't even know what that thing is called, but I guess you get what I'm talking about.

Asuna: Well, I do. So… You're looking for an accessory to put around your neck?

Sinon: Kinda. It doesn't have to be anything in particular, but I guess a choker or a scarf would be good.

Asuna thought about it for a second. Then, she put on a bright smile.

Asuna: In that case, I know exactly where to go! Let's go!

She swiftly grabbed Sinon's left arm and immediately began to drag her… somewhere. Frankly, Sinon had no idea what kind of place Asuna had in mind.

Sinon: Asuna, at least stop pulling me! And tell me where we're actually going!

Asuna [giggles]: You'll see in a minute, Sinonon!


Well, Asuna hadn't been exaggerating: About one minute later, the two girls reached a certain shop that specialised in accessories. To be more precise, the shop sold only a certain kind of accessories.

When the players of SAO spoke of "accessories", they could be talking about two kinds of things. First of all, they might refer to pieces of battle equipment which may have provided a boost in stats, but which were also viewed as "not strictly necessary". Such items were usually necklaces, talismans of sorts or rings. Second of all, those "accessories" might be "minor" pieces of equipment that made no noteworthy contribution to the wearer's stats, and these items usually just underlined a certain style.

Casual clothes usually weren't considered accessories, but some instances such as silk gloves or purely decorative jewellery fell into that category. The same applied to scarves and similar items. Well, and these were the kind of goods which the store Asuna and Sinon found themselves at had to offer.

Sinon walked up to a shelf that was loaded with scarves, shawls, bandanas and other items like that.

Sinon: Okay, I admit it, Asuna: Going to this shop has probably been a good idea.

Asuna: Of course it is! When it comes to fashionable accessories, this is probably the best store in Arc Sophia. [slightly contemplatively] Let's see…

Asuna took a look at the goods display, too. Sinon… actually stopped searching for a moment. Asuna's focused, pensive look worried her immensely. This didn't come as a surprise, but when Sinon threw a glance at some of the shelves around her, she spotted a variety of frilly or flashy designs… which meant that there were countless possibilities for Asuna to go overboard.

Sinon: Let me stop you right there, Asuna! I'm not going to wear a group of happy ducklings swimming around my neck! [mutters, slightly annoyed] Or whatever else is going through your mind…

Asuna: Come on, Sinonon! At least let me… [seriously, slightly contemplatively] Wait… Ducklings… That's not such a bad…

Sinon: Asuna!

Asuna: A-ah, sorry! [slightly frustratedly] But you could at least hear me out! I'm just trying to help, you know?

Sinon let out a sigh, half in exasperation, half in defeat. Sure, Asuna was right, and what she had just said reminded Sinon of her earlier question why the two of them were shopping together if Sinon didn't even listen to anything Asuna had to say.

Sinon: Alright, Asuna, I'll humour you. [sternly] But don't even think about suggesting anything fancy! Keep it simple, you hear?! Sim-ple!

Asuna looked a bit disheartened, but she seemed to accept these conditions. At the very least, she didn't protest. Without another word, Asuna went to another shelf full of scarves and similar accessories that was close by.

Sinon used this opportunity to take her time and to have a thorough look at the different items on the shelf in front of her. Admittedly, the goods at this store had remarkable quality, but the designs… For the most part, they were just too funky or extravagant.

Meanwhile, Asuna had the same impression… just with a different undertone. She thought that some of the chokers or shawls would've looked so good on Sinon, but she probably wouldn't want them…

Then, however, Asuna spotted a scarf that seemed nothing less but perfect. It was a hand-knit muffler with no frills whatsoever. It even was unicoloured – all in all, there was no reason for Sinon too dismiss it as "too flamboyant". Speaking of its colour, that was what really sold Asuna on this scarf: It was pink. On top of that, it looked pretty fluffy.

Well, wearing this muffler outside of a winter landscape would look silly, but right now, Asuna wasn't thinking of that. She had made up her mind: That was the perfect scarf for Sinon! Thus, Asuna grabbed the muffler and brought it to her friend.

Asuna [excitedly]: Sinonon, take a look at this! Isn't it…

Sinon [calmly]: No.

Asuna [at a loss]: Huh? What? B-but…

This was odd… Sinon stood with her back to Asuna, and she hadn't taken her eyes off the shelf in front of her – in fact, Sinon hadn't looked away from it the entire time. Therefore, there was no way for her to know what Asuna wanted to suggest, and it left Asuna utterly dumbfounded.

Asuna: What do you… [slightly defensively] You haven't even seen it!

Sinon [slightly exasperatedly]: I have heard you, though. If you sound this thrilled, that's not a good sign…

Asuna [dejectedly, slightly upset]: That's mean, Sinonon!

Sinon [suspiciously, slightly sternly]: Am I wrong, though? That scarf or whatever you've picked… It's pink, isn't it?

Asuna: Ah, w-well… I-it's…

Sinon [exasperatedly]: So it really is… [calmly] No, Asuna, put it back!

Asuna: But, Sinonon…!

Sinon: No.

Asuna: It looks really good, just try…

Sinon: No.

Asuna: You could at least take a…

Sinon: No!

Asuna: What's so bad about it?!

Sinon [sternly]: Asuna, I'm not gonna wear anything PINK! I don't know how else I can say it!

For better or worse, that seemed to convince Asuna. She walked away, but judging from the sound of her footsteps, she did so quite slowly and dispiritedly. Yep, she was anything but happy about the harsh rejection.

Sinon couldn't help but sigh. Sure, she felt a bit bad for telling her friend off like that, but she honestly didn't want to deal with this side of Asuna. Well, Sinon tried not to think about it, so she turned her full attention to the goods in front of her again.

She was eyeing some shawls, which had some bizarre depictions of monsters from SAO on them, when she heard Asuna approaching her again after only about half a minute.

Asuna [frustratedly]: Well, how about this one?

At first, Sinon was surprised that Asuna had already come up with another suggestion. Given how dejected she sounded, she actually might've brought something suitable this time, so Sinon turned around to take a look, and she was astonished – pleasantly, that is.

Asuna held a simple midnight-blue scarf in her hands. Sinon took it from her and ran her fingers over it. The scarf seemed to be made from synthetic fibres, but that wasn't bad. In fact, the fabric felt smooth and just soft enough.

Sinon: This is really not bad. Not at all.

Asuna: Well, I figured that you'd think so. It's something simple, and I had this feeling that you like dark colours, so I picked this one. At the very least, it adds a little bit more colour to your outfit…

Sinon: I… I guess so. That aside, I think this one would be a good choice.

Well, it wasn't exactly what Asuna had had in mind, but since her friend seemed to be content, it wasn't that bad after all, so she put on a small smile.

Asuna: In that case, you should try it on!

She took the scarf out of Sinon's hands, and before Sinon could utter any complaints, Asuna wrapped it around her neck. After tying a loose knot in it behind Sinon's nape, Asuna held both ends of the scarf in her hands and eyed them quizzically.

Asuna: Hm… Should they hang down the back or the front? Which one would look better?

Sinon [sighs]: The back. I don't want the scarf to get in the way when I'm pulling the bowstring.

Asuna [slightly dejectedly]: Well, that's fair…

Asuna threw the ends of the scarf over Sinon's shoulders. Then, she took a step back to see what Sinon looked like when wearing the scarf.

Asuna [slightly cheerfully]: I think it looks good. Certainly better than before!

Sinon [tugs at the scarf]: Hm, it feels nice. Yeah, I like it.


About half an hour later, Sinon sat alone on a bench at the edge of the market district. This area was nowhere near as crowded and busy as the main street in this section of Arc Sophia, so there were only a few other players, who had checked out the small shops there, around.

As for Asuna, she had told Sinon to wait here while she had gone to one of these small shops. She returned shortly thereafter, and when Sinon spotted her, she was surprised to see that Asuna seemed to hold something in each hand.

Sinon: Hey, Asuna! What did you… Wait… Are those… sandwiches?

Asuna: They sure are! I doubt you have eaten anything yet, have you, Sinonon? So I thought that a little lunch break would be nice!

To emphasise the point, Asuna handed Sinon one of the sandwiches before she took a seat next to her.

Sinon: Well, that's a good idea, [slightly curiously] but what I actually wanna know is if you bought them now. I was wondering what kind of errand you might run here, you know?

Asuna: I did. There's actually a pretty good snack bar a bit further down this street.

Sinon [slightly contemplatively]: Is that so…

Sinon looked at the sandwich in her hands with a rather odd expression on her face. She looked almost as if she couldn't believe what she was holding. After a few seconds, she glanced over at Asuna, who took a bite out of her own sandwich and chewed on it with a happy expression. Seeing that, Sinon gave hers a try, too.

Sinon [slightly surprised]: Hm? [slightly impressed] Hmmm… [swallows] This is good. Not really outstanding, but I guess the place you've got this from can keep up with Agil's.

Asuna: It can, right!? You'd be surprised how many restaurants like that have opened on the upper floors.

Sinon [slightly suspiciously]: You sound as if you've checked all of them out… Come to think of it, this food may be decent, but it's still nowhere near what you can make! I mean, I can see Kirito or some others frequent such a place, but why do you buy this stuff from someone else if you could make something better yourself?!

Asuna [slightly huffily]: For starters, I'm not a cooking machine, Sinonon! I've come to like cooking in SAO, but sometimes I'm just not in the mood for it, you know? Not to mention that I'm usually quite busy.

Sinon [slightly apologetically]: W-well, I guess you're right. Sorry, I didn't mean to be pushy or anything!

Asuna [slightly awkwardly]: I-it's okay! I probably shouldn't have snapped like that, either… It's just that Kirito-kun's obsession with food – [mutters] especially bizarre food... [says aloud] It can get a bit… taxing sometimes. [calmly] Anyway, there's also another reason. Basically, you could call this research.

Sinon [slightly doubtfully]: Research…

Asuna: Cooking is more than just a skill you have to level, you know? Getting the right recipes is the actual challenge. By keeping up to date when it comes to the different kinds of food, it also becomes easier to come up with new ideas. Just recreating some of the dishes I find is a pretty good way to discover some new tricks and ingredients. And trying to figure out the recipes can be fun!

Sinon: I see… Well, I mean, if it works for you…

They continued their meal for a moment. However, even before she finished her sandwich, a thought occurred to Sinon.

Sinon: Wait, you paid for mine, too, didn't you? How much did it cost? I'll give you the money…

Asuna: Sinonon, you don't need to! I'm treating you, okay? Besides, don't you think this is a little bit silly?

Sinon [slightly huffily]: No, I'm just minding my manners! [calmly] I mean, I just don't want to suck you dry, even if it would be just for today. I can't stand people who do that, and I certainly don't wanna be one myself!

Asuna [chuckles]: Sucking me dry?! Sinonon, how expensive do you think these sandwiches were?! Honestly, this is nothing! Actually, I've been thinking about giving you a gift at some point today, maybe if I had found something that would look good on you, [slightly frustratedly] but so far, you've paid for everything yourself, even for that scarf!

Sinon [slightly awkwardly]: W-well, I'm… I'm not really used to… receiving presents, you know? I've been raised to be very careful when it comes to purchases and spending money, and relying on someone else to just give me something was… kinda out of the question. [slightly frustratedly] Well, and I didn't really have many people who would've made me a present in the first place.

Asuna [worriedly]: Sinonon…

Sinon [slightly reassuringly]: Don't look at me like that, Asuna! It… It's not that important, okay? It has never really bothered me. [slightly awkwardly and exasperatedly] In fact, when I received a genuine gift from someone outside of my own family for the first time here in SAO, it actually just took me by surprise.

Asuna [slightly curiously]: Really? Who was that person?

Sinon looked a bit shocked. Her last line had been a slip of the tongue, and she was at a bit of a loss regarding what she should say in response. When Asuna saw that reaction, she became a bit worried.

Asuna: Ah, sorry! You don't have to tell me if you don't want to! I can understand it if it's something private!

Sinon: It's okay, Asuna, you don't have to get that tense! It's just that I was kinda surprised myself that I really… mentioned that. I guess it doesn't hurt to tell you, though. This present…

Sinon opened her inventory, and after a brief moment of searching, she converted one of the items into an object. Asuna was surprisingly eager to see what "Sinon's first present" looked like. However, she didn't expect it to be…

Asuna: Glasses? I don't mean to be rude, but why glasses?!

Sinon: It's… a long story, but when Akinym-san and I were on a trip through the market street a while back, we found them in a small shop, and… Well, the thing is that I wear glasses in the real world, and they look just like these. That's why he bought them for me.

Well, there were a few more reasons, some were a bit more complex, others were as simple as "the glasses looked good on her", but Sinon had just as many reasons not to tell Asuna about that.

Asuna: You went shopping with Akinym-san – a guy?!

Sinon [slightly annoyed]: Well, duh! He's my partner, so we go and buy supplies regularly!

Asuna: Well, sure, that's to be expected, but regarding these glasses… That's not shopping for supplies! [suspiciously] Now that I think about it… Akinym-san gave you glasses as a gift? [teasingly] Huh…

Sinon: Wipe that smirk off your face, Asuna! There is no deeper meaning behind that!

Asuna: Don't spoil my fun right away! I have the feeling that Liz and Argo are teasing me all the time, and I never get to do that with others! It starts to get depressing, you know…

Sinon [slightly exasperatedly]: Well, yeah, Argo gets on our nerves like that, too. [slightly annoyed] Anyway, Asuna, I may sympathise with you, but I don't want you to jump to weird conclusions all the time! The players from Ascending Moon already do that, [annoyed] and it's such a pain in the…

To emphasise the point, instead of finishing her sentence, Sinon let out an indignant growl. After that, she took a deep breath in order to calm down. Furthermore, she threw the rest of her sandwich into her mouth… It was probably some sort of comfort eating.

Asuna watched Sinon's rant in slightly awkward silence. One thing was for sure: Sinon did not like talking about this topic, but apparently not in the "I've got busted" kind of way.

Asuna: W-well, thanks for clearing that up! So… [slightly contemplatively] We were talking about your glasses, weren't we? Now that I think about it, I'm actually pretty curious. With your archery skills, I didn't expect that you have a problem with weak eyesight…

Sinon: Those things have nothing to do with each other, you know? I actually never held a bow in my hands before I got the Sniping skill here in SAO.

Asuna: It's not as if I'm not believing you! It's just… I guess you could call it an issue about preconceptions. Most people wouldn't think that a sharpshooter would need optical aid in their daily life… probably. [slightly cheerfully] Anyway, that's not even the point. What really interests me now that I know about it is what you actually look like when wearing glasses!

Now it was Asuna's turn to gulp down the rest of her sandwich. She quickly wiped her fingers with a napkin, and now that her hands were free, she took the glasses from Sinon.

Sinon: W-well, that's… [slightly upset] Hey, Asuna, don't just take…

Not even giving Sinon time to complain, Asuna put the glasses on her nose and behind her ears. When she removed her hands and took in what Sinon looked like now, Asuna smiled.

Asuna: For once, I have to commend Akinym-san: He picked a pretty good gift! These glasses look good on you, Sinonon! You look pretty cute that way!

Sinon felt a bit awkward. Receiving a compliment for her "glasses look" from Akinym had already been weird, although that had been mainly because Junimenta had been involved – with everything that this entailed. Hearing Asuna agree with him – him of all people – on "fashion matters" felt almost surreal, and since she wasn't used to getting complimented on her appearance, it was also somewhat embarrassing. Well, at least Asuna didn't gave her an in-depth critique as a certain someone had…

There was, however, one problem with Asuna giving her a compliment. Akinym had spoken his mind, and he had left it at that. Asuna, on the other hand, would probably…

Asuna [slightly irritated]: Why do you never wear them? I don't mean to nag you, but it's kind of rude to ignore a present. And it's such a waste! [seriously] You should wear them, Sinonon!

Sinon [slightly annoyed]: Asuna, this is… [sighs, calmly] Okay… To be perfectly honest, I have… [slightly hesitantly] mixed feelings about these glasses. [calmly] I've decided to keep them as some kind of lucky charm, but I think that's as far as I'll go.

Asuna [slightly worriedly]: O-oh… So that's how it is…

To be honest, Asuna was quite curious as to why Sinon had "mixed" feelings about something like glasses. If nothing else, it worried her a little. However, after sticking her nose where Sinon apparently didn't want it before, Asuna didn't want to ask anything that might only upset Sinon. For now, she figured that Sinon might have some serious issues in the real world because of her poor eyesight, or maybe she just felt uncomfortable about it. Given her usually serious personality, the reason behind those "mixed feelings" could be as simple as perfectionism…

That aside, Asuna still wanted to say something encouraging.

Asuna: I won't ask what's bothering you about them if you don't want to talk about it, but if you have "mixed" feelings, there has to be something good, too, right? So… Maybe you can give them a try and wear them every once in a while? [slightly playfully] Maybe you can make some kind of special habit out of it. [contemplatively] For instance… [slightly excitedly] Oh, right! You like reading, don't you? How about you wear them when reading a book? [slightly playfully] I think that would make for a good picture!

Sinon [slightly confusedly]: What's with this preconception that reading and glasses go together well?! [sighs] Anyway, maybe I'll give it a try.

Asuna just nodded with a smile on her lips. For a moment, she just leant back on the bench and enjoyed the soft breeze and the sunlight. Sinon didn't have any idea what else she might do, so she just did the same.

Asuna: Hey, Sinonon, can I tell you something that… might sound a little bit weird?

Sinon: Huh? Why would you ask me that? I mean, do you realise that this question probably sounds weirder than what you want to say?

Asuna [slightly huffily]: You don't have to be so snarky! I just want to say that it's nice to sit back and enjoy a calm day for a change.

Sinon: I see… Well, that does sound a bit strange… since it comes out of the blue. Why would you bring that up all of a sudden?

Asuna: I don't think it's so sudden. It's just that I'm usually so busy that I rarely get to take an entire day off. Therefore, I really appreciate this… break.

Now that she mentioned it… Yeah, Sinon figured that Asuna certainly had a lot on her plate. Judging from what she knew, Akinym was already pretty busy, and that was "just" as a councilman and Assault Team member. Well, Sinon wasn't sure how much stress this caused him… She thought that she ought to speak with him about it some day...

Anyway, Asuna had to deal with that kind of work, too, and on top of that, she was also leading a large guild, and she acted as the raid leader in pretty much every major battle. Honestly, the more Sinon thought about all this, the more impressed she was that Asuna managed to do all of that.

Sinon: I guess you're right. [slightly happily] To be honest, I also think that it's nice to have such days every now and then. [curiously, slightly worriedly] But… I have this feeling that your days off would be "family time", so why are you spending it with me?

Asuna [thinks]: Don't be like that! It's as if you're treating yourself like a hassle… [says aloud, slightly reassuringly] I often do, that's true, but you don't have to worry about it! I mean, Yui-chan has taken a liking to helping the NPC assistants at Agil's shop, so she doesn't mind spending the day there, and Kirito-kun… [slightly worriedly] You know that he, Liz and the others are still searching for… well…

Sinon: A-ah… You're right. They keep looking for a way to resolve the war between the goblins and the lizardmen. [worriedly] Say, Asuna, is there… Do you think they will find something.

Asuna turned away with an uneasy expression. She thought about Sinon's question for a moment.

Asuna: At first, I was sure he… they would. Now… I'm not sure. I'm just not sure.

Sinon: W-why?

Asuna: Today might be their last chance. Yesterday, Akinym-san sent me a message about the Assault Team's current progress. Apparently, all but two of the goblin's minor strongholds and outposts have fallen, and according to their plans, the small guilds will conquer the remaining ones today, so that only the main base will be left.

Sinon: But doesn't that mean that there should be… [calmly] There… There won't be any time left, will there?

Asuna: After the meeting of the guild leaders yesterday, Akinym-san sent the other council members a proposal, and the DDA has already agreed. Tomorrow after the council meeting, the entire Assault Team will set out to conquer the goblin headquarters in the far west of the floor. This decision can only be averted if Kirito-kun and the others find another way to clear the ninety-fifth floor. They have time for that until evening – that was the deal.

Sinon: I see…

They both kept quiet for a moment after that. It was quite the heavy silence this time. That state lasted until Asuna couldn't take it anymore.

Asuna: Let's leave it at that, Sinonon! I mean, there's nothing we can do about it anyway, and this is our day off, so we shouldn't spend it fretting about such things, should we?

Sinon [slightly irritated]: I guess you're right. [mutters] I hate to admit it, though.

Asuna [slightly cheerfully]: Let's change the topic, okay? How about we… Ah, right! We were talking about how nice it is to have this day to ourselves, so how about we continue there?

Sinon: I know I said that not dwelling on gloomy thoughts is probably the right call, but I think it's a bit odd that you go straight to something so… lighthearted.

Well, Asuna actually agreed with Sinon. However, the depressing atmosphere wouldn't go away on its own, so she had to do something about it.

Asuna: I get where you're coming from, but I'd rather continue our conversation from there than from where… it led. The thing is… [slightly contemplatively] I wanted to say that – even if I could've spent the day with Kirito-kun and Yui-chan – I probably still would've wanted to pass the time like this. I mean, when was the last time we could kick back together like today?

Sinon: I don't know. Was there even a time like that?

Asuna: Do you see what I mean? It feels like I never get the chance to…

Asuna stopped, and her expression suddenly became surprisingly melancholic. In fact, this shift actually worried Sinon for a second.

Asuna: Hey, Sinonon, can I… tell you something? It's more serious this time.

Sinon [slightly surprised]: Um… sure. I mean… [seriously] What's on your mind?

Asuna: I think what I liked the most about this morning was… how exciting and… new it felt. I… never got to go on a shopping trip with a friend before. Actually, I think I never did anything with friends like that.

Sinon was incredibly surprised to hear that. In all honesty, she couldn't picture Asuna to be the type to be socially isolated.

Sinon: R-really?

Asuna replied by giving Sinon a somewhat troubled look. Well, it brought the message across.

Sinon: I see… But why? Were you too busy, or…?

Asuna: That's… one reason, I guess. Primarily, however, it was because I've… grown up in a very competitive environment, which didn't really leave much room for building personal relationships.

Sinon [mutters]: Huh, so that's it in your case…

Asuna [slightly awkwardly]: Oh, um… Sorry for bringing up another depressing topic! Even though I only wanted to say that today was fun, and…

Sinon [seriously]: Asuna, I know I said that dwelling on gloomy thoughts doesn't help… and that only a few minutes ago, but… it's also true that avoiding unpleasant topics at all costs isn't always the right call. I don't mind listening if you want to talk about it. [slightly hastily] But you don't have to, of course!

Asuna: No need to get tense! I appreciate the offer!

Sinon: Don't mention it. It's… just that I know the feeling. Well, kind of. [slightly hesitantly] I have my own reasons, I guess, [calmly] but I never got to go shopping with friends or anything like that, either. [slightly happily] It was a nice experience for me, too.

Asuna: It was, wasn't it? [slightly grumpily] Although I think that your friends aren't supposed to reject all of your ideas!

Sinon [slightly irritated]: I guess they normally wouldn't. That is, if you don't go overboard!

Asuna: It wasn't that bad! Hmph, I'm sure Liz would've liked my ideas!

Sinon [exasperatedly]: In that case, please go with her next time!

Asuna: Maybe I will… Wait… [slightly excitedly] That's actually a pretty good idea! How about we all go shopping together some time? I mean all of us girls!

Sinon: Huh? That's what you… I don't know what's weirder: that you suddenly have this idea, or that I kinda inspired it…

Asuna: Oh, come on, Sinonon! You don't have to be such a spoilsport! Besides, don't you think it might be fun?!

Sinon [sighs]: Well… Yeah, I guess you're right. Depending on the situation, I'd probably like that, but when would we…

Asuna stopped Sinon with a sly smile. Actually, that smile worried Sinon a little, and she wondered if Asuna had some sort of ridiculous idea.

Asuna: I already know the perfect opportunity!

Sinon watched as Asuna opened her menu, went straight to the messages and opened a certain system notification. She turned so that Sinon could see the window that had popped up.

Asuna: You got that message, too, didn't you, Sinonon?

Sinon [slightly embarrassed]: I-is that…? Y-yes, of course I did! All female players have! B-but… You really want to drag everyone… there?!

Asuna: I was talking about it with Liz these days! I think there's no better way to experience the real "girls' shopping trip" feel than this, don't you think?

Asuna's smile became even more mischievous.

Asuna: And who knows what I might find for you, Sinonon!

Sinon [upset, slightly embarrassed]: Asuna, you better perish the thought that I'll let you give me advice on… on THAT!

Asuna [slightly teasingly]: Oh, why so shy, Sinonon?

They continued their banter like that for a short while. Sinon quickly became fed up with it, though. Well, actually, she had been fed up with it from the very beginning…

Anyway, she tried to think of a way to stop Asuna… and she got the perfect idea surprisingly quickly.

Sinon [mischievously]: Well, in that case, I guess I can play along. I should return the favour, though. Perhaps I should get help from Liz, too… Oh, and Leafa probably has the deepest insight into this matter…

Asuna [slightly nervously]: Th-this matter? What are you talking about, Sinonon? And what does that have to do with Leafa-san?!

Sinon: What I'm talking about? Why, [teasingly] of course it's about giving you tips what Kirito might like in that area!

When Asuna imagined Lisbeth and a "vengeful" Sinon giving her advice on… the matter in question, her face turned bright red, and she quickly covered it with her hands.

Asuna: Okay, okay, Sinonon! You win! I'll hold back, but you have to do the same!

Sinon [contently]: We have a deal!

Asuna put her hands down again, and she glared at Sinon a bit indignantly. Sinon felt the slightest hint of remorse welling up inside herself, but in the end, Asuna had brought this upon herself, so she didn't feel too bad about the way she had retorted.

If there was anything Sinon figured she'd have reason to feel bad about, it had been how she had been constantly avoiding Asuna's "fashion tips" all day. Okay, it was mostly Asuna's fault for being so pushy despite the fact that Sinon had clearly shown her displeasure with the other girl's… radical ideas. To be fair, once Sinon had finally got that through Asuna's head, she had actually made a fairly good suggestion (the scarf, that is), and it made Sinon wonder if Asuna might have more decent ideas if given the chance… and proper limitations, too, of course.

In light of that, Sinon made a decision and stood up.

Sinon: Hey, Asuna… Earlier, you said that this "was" a nice day, didn't you? You know, the day isn't over yet!

Asuna: Huh?

Sinon: Now that I think about it, you didn't buy anything all day, [slightly teasingly] so while we're talking about turning the tables, how about I do that right now? Come!

Sinon pulled Asuna back to her feet. Asuna needed a moment to process the situation.

Asuna: Hey, Sinonon, you haven't planned anything weird, have you?

Sinon: No, I'm doing exactly what I say: I just want to make the most out of this day!

Asuna: W-well, in that case, I guess it's fine… [slightly mischievously] But don't think that you can stay out of this, Sinonon!

Sinon [sighs]: Okay, fine! I'll hear you out!

Asuna: Hehe, in that case, I think it's time for…

Sinon [sternly]: But no pink!

Asuna: Why not?!


So, I'll leave it at that.

Initially, this side story was supposed to include two flashbacks, but I couldn't find a good transition to them, and they felt pretty out of place in my first draft, so I cut them out and rearranged Asuna and Sinon's long conversation at the end. The two flashbacks will appear at other points where they should fit better.

The design I've had in mind for Sinon's scarf was the one she wears in Hollow Realization. On a related note, am I the only one who thinks that it's a bit strange that Sinon wears something around her neck pretty much everywhere?! She does that at least in every game, and canon isn't much different in that regard...

Well, this isn't going to be the last shopping trip the girls will make in the overall series, and I'm not talking only about the one Asuna brought up at the end. By the way, that one is a reference to a certain event in Hollow Fragment. Well, and you know the old deal about the imaginary cookies, don't you?

Anyway, next up will be a side story about what Kirito and the other girls are up to during the events in this one.