LATE GAME Ch.2

BECAUSE WHY NOT?

I was inside the log cabin of floor 22. Everything looked like it was made from fresh pine and it had the warmth of a real log cabin, the kind that you slept in and felt at home in. I would've felt asleep in the cozy atmosphere if it weren't for…

"So let me get this straight; you're not from this universe, both the real and the virtual one. And you know everything that's going to happen, did I hear that correctly?"

The interrogation began earlier, and Asuna was still sitting on the couch with Kirito in disbelief. I mean, who wouldn't, really? I probably wouldn't, heck I'd probably punch me in the jaw and proceed to sleep. But then again, I probably wouldn't handle this kind of crap, so I don't know.

"Yeah, you guys are like… stories where I'm from."

Kirito and Asuna looked at me, surprised, then at each other.

"This is what I'm talking about! You guys deserve being one of the best couples in anime. Congrats, you two. Especially you, Kirito, you sly dog you…"

The blush on their faces was priceless. I would've laughed then and there if Asuna and Kirito didn't grab the handles of their respective swords at that moment. I got too scared, I guess. Couples and their partners, I'll never understand them, honestly…

"Okay, okay. I'm just kidding around you two. Just going to light up the mood before…" I trailed off dramatically, waiting for the desired effect.

"What?" They asked me simultaneously

I smiled in secret. They were seriously going to think it would be ominous. I know it wouldn't be, because I always believed in my happy endings. I know the show/manga/light novels were going to have that, so why not poke some fun first?

"You both won't see the end of this floor…" I started.

"WHAT?!" I heard Asuna scream, right before Kirito followed soon afterward. Both were shocked like, I can't even describe this. They both looked like they were about to cry or something, these poor shmucks. I wanted to laugh some much. Now let's see how they'd be after this…

"Because…"

"Because?"

"Because Kirito's gonna beat the game right after the next boss! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Both stared at me, dumbfounded. I saw Asuna's eyes twitching, and I've seen enough shows to tell me that what's coming after isn't a good thing. But before Asuna could strangle me or something, Kirito asked me first.

"How was the fight?"

"Oh, it was amazing. But I won't go into detail; gods know I don't want to ruin it."

He nodded like he was satisfied, and then he followed up with another question.

"What happens right after?"

Here was my chance to get Sugou beaten up right after SAO. I have to tell him. EVERYTHING.

"Asuna, do you know some guy named Sugou?"

Asuna's open mouth and terrified face answered my question.

"I'm going to say yes." I said. "Anyway, he's going to be someone very noteworthy soon. In any case, you should really remember that name... For a while."

Kirito nodded. Damn, he's taking it all too well. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the best player of SAO.

Asuna then took this time to ask.

"What is he going to do? Why is he important? How does Sugou even fit in to anything?"

Ah, Asuna. Get ready to be scarred for life.

"After something like this, we'd expect Argus to go bankrupt, am I right?"

They both nodded.

"RCT takes over to keep the servers running, and for reasons unknown, 300 players, including you, Asuna, would still be in a coma."

Asuna covered her mouth, internally screaming.

"Don't worry, Asuna. Kirito saves the day with the power of LOOOVE, the end…"

I receive their nods, Kirito a bit calmer than Asuna, and the latter herself feeling a bit more relaxed..

"… Of season one. ROLL CREDITS!"

Might as well drop the R-bomb to make sure there's actually conflict to this next arc.

I was about to speak when I saw how innocent these two were at the moment. They were still on their honeymoon, damn it. I don't want to ruin this, not in a million years. OTP for life in every universe imaginable.

Asuna then repeats one of the earlier questions that I wasn't quite able to reply on.

"Why would Sugou be involved in this? What does he want to make out of this?"

I thought hard, but I wasn't going to tell them about that rape part. Not anymore. At least, I won't until the end of SAO. I'll tell Kirito somehow through this game somehow in the near future, unless I actually get a physical body, that would be totally awesome.

"Well, let's just say he's basically that one dude you might want to either avoid or beat the crap out of, but he's not important right now. I'll tell you more later, I guess."

Kirito nodded, reading my expression in case I might've lied or left something out. I did my best poker face in case he thought he needed to hear the part I left out. Sorry, bro, but I don't really want to ruin the honeymoon.

"If what you're saying is true…" Asuna said, clearly uncomfortable that her spoiler alert arranged fiancé was a jerk (implied) who has something to do with players in comatose.

"You know, on second thought, don't beat him up too early. It'll look really creepy and everyone would just presume that you are a juvenile delinquent. Yeah, that's not good at all, so wait for the right time to strike, got that?"

"You got a knack for changing plans, Grey." Holy crap, did Kirito just call me by my in-game name? Internal fangirling, activate! "But I believe that you're telling the truth, seeing as you've got nothing to lose, right?"

I nodded. I wasn't going to let them down. Here was my one chance to talk to my OTP, so I have to be good enough.

I was never good enough in my world, now's the time to make up for all that crap I've been giving.

"I'm going to make sure you guys'll be happy until the end. I love my happy endings, you know."

For the first time since this conversation, I saw hints of a smile forming on Asuna's face. She was really, really, really pretty up close. I thought I felt my heart stop. Then again, we don't have heartbeats in SAO, do we?

"I'm going to make lunch now, make yourself at home for the time being." Asuna said. She was actually pretty nice too, I love nice people.

"Thanks, Asuna." I JUST CALLED HER BY NAME! THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT! "I'll just be talking to this guy for the time being then."

Here's my chance to have a one-on-one conversation with the blackest black swordsman who was actually Asian and not at all black. Steeling my nerves for this moment-

"So Grey, how was your world exactly? How do we fit in it.?" He asked. His voice was now mellow, with a tinge of understanding. He is bro material, I gotta admit that.

"Uh, the world I'm from is actually a lot like you real one. Except we're back a few couple of years, we were still in 2016 last I checked. You guys were anime characters on the television. You were my heroes and the last ones I've seen before getting stuck in this game of death where I can't die, but I can get a nasty headache enough to make me wish I were dead."

Kirito was a good listener, now I get why everyone loved him in the show. At least in the virtual world, because this guy is a real-life solo player last I heard.

That doesn't add up. Did he just literally forget to live in the real world before all this? This actually makes the second half of the first season a lot more interesting now that I think about it.

"So in short, you know everything that's going to happen?" He asked. I shook my head.

"Well, I should. But since there's a new player and a wildcard that could totally change everything that could happen with spoilers and pre-administered events, things could go a lot different this time around."

I had to admit, if I were to change the chronology in this thing, I wouldn't know everything that could happen. I'm a freaking wildcard, I'm the fool's arcana from Persona. That would make me feel a lot better if I could get some training. Now that I think about it…

"Hey Kirito, could you help me with a sword? I want to help in battle as much as I could, I don't want to be a burden after all."

"You're not a burden, and you just helped us out a lot with what's coming. Are you really sure you want to learn how to use a sword?"

"Yeah, man. I always wanted to use a sword, too bad no one could teach me back at home."

Kirito gave a nod, took out one of his swords and gave it to me. It looked pretty darn strong, with the light blue line stretching from the blade to the hilt, pulsing with energy. Aside from that, the color of the blade was a rusty golden, with its metallic proportions intact. It reminded me of the Nordic Broadsword from Skyrim.

I looked at him, filled with gratitude. It's not everyday that the black swordsman actually has a sword that doesn't have a single black thing in it. Guess this is why he doesn't use it much.

"You're taking all this well, Kirito. Why's that?" I asked him, completely dumbfounded on why they are taking it so easily. I wasn't believable in my place, so this is pretty much a shocker for me.

"Trust me when I say we've been through enough in this world, enough to actually believe in everything you said. We're surprised, that YOU'RE taking this all in so easily." He replied with that darn sexy voice of his.

I shook my head. "I'm not. I'm actually pretty darn scared, but I try to keep it all in, bro. After all this, you guys have a chance of seeing your families and I'll…"

Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

Don't cry in front of Kirito. Don't be a pussy.

"I don't think I'll ever see my parents again. I haven't even made them proud of me yet."

Son of a-

I cried.

I cried in front of Kirito.

I cried a LOT in front of my favorite character.

"WHY THE HELL CAN'T I STOP CRYING?"

Did I say that out loud?

"You can't stop yourself from expressing your real emotions in this game. You have to let it all out, Grey." Kirito replied.

No turning back now, huh?

"I've always been the emotional type, so every little thing makes me cry. I've just learned to run away from everything, but now I can't even do that. I have to take it all in now, huh?"

Kirito smiles at me and pats my back.

"It's alright. Everything's going to be fine. If it turns out you're stuck with us, we'll make sure you'll feel like you're part of the family."

Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap, now I'm really letting myself lose it.

I continued that way for about an hour as I ate Asuna's home cooking. I felt like I should really take it all out before this consumes me in the future.

I'm going to have a future here.

I'm going to have a future with heroes, MY heroes.

I'm going to live.

I'm becoming an optimist. Crap.

"Thanks, guys. I'll make it up to you two by not being useless. I'll tell you everything and do anything you need to give you the happy ending you guys deserve, alright?"

"For a fifteen year old, you're pretty emotional." Asuna says with a smile. "Now we know we can really trust you."

I chuckled as the last of my sobs decreased.

"This is because I cried like a pussy in front of you guys?" I asked jokingly.

Kirito gave a rich laugh.

"No, but because you easily opened up to us, and that's something you don't see others doing much of nowadays."

To be fair though, I was always really good at expressing my own emotions. I was really bad at acting because what I really felt was what naturally came out.

Wiping away my tears, I faced the two of them.

"Kirito, let me borrow your sword. I'm going to learn the ways of the sword, and I'm going to help you guys. That okay with you?"

"Yeah, sure." Kirito replied.

"In the meantime, before you guys go to the next boss, I'll be taking the inn from the closest village, okay? I don't want to ruin your honeymoon, God knows you need it."

I receive blushing nods as I went out of the door.

"I'll do everything to make yours a happy ending." I said finally before I ran off into the outside, the sun shining brightly into my face as the lake comes into view.

"I'm going to live." I tell myself.

The forest loomed in front of my eyes as the tall trees came before me. They had the scent of fresh wood, complete with the residue hanging on the branches.

"That was a really bad first impression, self. Do better the next time."

I sighed as I looked for monsters to beat up.