X: Neverending, rain and worries

pat-pat-pat-pat-pat…

"Lights out Philia, get some sleep." Presto switched off the last light in the house and went straight to bed beside Philia. And in mere seconds he was sleeping like dead.

Rain continued to fall from the dark skies.

pat-pat-pat-pat-pat

The sounds raindrops hit the glass, though ferocious, it was not the thing that kept Philia awake.

Crack

Nor the flashing thunders sounding it wanted to break the sky apart.

She turned her back towards the sleeping Presto, and looked at the window. Only the white water curtain remains in her sight, blank, like her mind. What's left were worries, and the face of worry and anger that Presto had earlier. The mere thought of it made her shudder. It has been well over a year they have since met, and became more than just friends, but this was the first time such an expression appeared on his face. She can understand it though, he always brings up the promise to protect her. And yet, she has made up her mind to be a strong fighter. The frontlines is the only place she can get stronger, but she had to lie about that she was just going out to do simple quests with friends. The latter part about friends is correct, but the "quest" part obviously meant going to the frontlines. She knew Presto too damned well that he wouldn't let her go to the frontlines.

As a matter of fact, though her name was not spoken of, the stories about a girl using a jagged edge dagger in the frontlines was a reference to her. Most people in the frontlines didn't use daggers anymore, simply they just couldn't deal damage as well as a sword that is just as light as a dagger.

What if Presto found out that she was on the frontlines all the time? He will probably flip out, big time.

Speaking of that, Philia knew he was thinking PoH. The hollow one. During their time in the Hollow Area, they have learned that hollows follow their true selves traits. This translates to PoH in the game is a very dangerous man, and he is out there with an army of murderers. All these time, Presto tried to find PoH to eliminate the possibility that he will make another move, to protect Philia, after all the things happened.

pat-pat-pat-pat

"This rain is endless." Philia shuffled her head to get a more comfortable position, "Just like his and my worries. I probably should sleep—"

ding-dong~

"Ugh," Philia moved out of the bed in total unwillingness, "Just as I was going to sleep."

Ding-dong ding-dong~

The doorbell rang twice this time, accompanied by the sounds of torrential rain outside. Philia navigated through the house in the dark, her right hand sliding along the hallway wall. As her hand hit the doorknob of the main door, she twisted it and opened the door, just as the thunder strikes again.

"Who is it so late….ah, ahhhh!" Philia was truly terrified by the sight once her dreary eyes was no longer blurred. A girl with wet short jet black hair down to her neck, drenched, covering her entire head, leaving her mouth, with a smile. Her robe is as black as her hair, wet as her hair, water dripping down at the edges, creating a puddle beneath her feet, above all else, a scythe was behind her back. As the thunder strikes, the flash of the light creates a black figure of her, as if she was not wearing black enough in this scenario.

"Is Presto home?" her velvety voice asked.

"Ah.. Ah… ahhhhh!" Philia stepped back a little shakily before making a straight dash towards the bedroom screaming, and shook the sleeping Presto madly. "N-N-N-Nao! Wake up! Wake up! The reaper is here! Nao Nao N-Nao!"

"Excuse me." the girl stepped into the house with the sound of the wet footsteps heard clearly, along with the door closing and thunder yet again striking at that same time.

"Ugh… what is the matter?" Presto asked in his dreary tone and sat up lazily, switching on the bedside light. Much to his surprise, Philia's eyes were teary.

"The Reaper- hic- is coming for you…" Philia immediately bursted into tears, and Presto could do nothing but gently patted her head, comforting her, "Ok, ok, calm down, let me see what happened."

"Be- hic- careful…" Philia grabbed his shirt tight and curled behind him, as Presto walked along the same way as Philia did, switching on every light he came across. At the end of the hallway, the black figure stood in the dark, water still dripping from her robe.

"Who are you?" Presto asked the girl while he stood at the edge of the line between light and dark.

"Hmm? That voice?" The girl turned to look at Presto, and stepped closer, "That face… Naoki?"

"You look… familiar." Presto took another step into the dark, and switched on the kitchen light.

The girl combed her hair away from her face. Saying that she was a beauty was an understatement. Her hair, though messy due to the rain, under the light, it glimmered in separate strands. Her eyes were narrow and thin, same goes for her lips, small yet fine. An Asian gorgeous indeed.

"Ying!" Presto exclaimed, "You were playing this game too?"

"Yes. It has been a long time, Nao." The girl named Ying smiled. Even her smile was just her lips curling upwards very slightly, it made her even more of a royal, reserved and gentle.

"Huh? Nao, you know her?" the now calmed Philia still wouldn't let go of his shirt, and peeked at the other girl.

"Well, we are neighbours in real life." Ying replied with a smile to Philia, "Sorry for scaring you… uh…"

"Call me Philia."

"Ah! Sorry, Philia. Anyways, can I stay over for the night? I got lost in the woods and was caught by the rain… ah, ah choo!"

Presto sighed scratched his head, "Alright, Philia, let her use the bath. I am going to sleep though. Also, give her some clothes, she can sleep in your old room." he said this and walked back to the bedroom with a long yawn, closing the door.

Upon hearing the word bath, Philia immediately lets go of his shirt. Right after the door was closed, she shoved Ying by the back towards the door at the end of the hallway.

"Uahhh! Philia! Why are so excited all of a sudden!" Ying yelped in surprise.

"Nao said we can use the bath! It's once in a lifetime!" Philia seemed way too happy about a bath.


When Philia first moved in with Presto

"Nao, what is this room for?" Philia pointed at the door at the end of the hallway. Unlike the other doors, it is a dark chocolate coloured one, wooden planks on it were obvious, leaving ridges and bumps on it, and has no doorknob on it.

"Ah, that's the bath," Presto said. He then pushed open the door. The bath was a small bathhouse with a wooden square tub, large enough to fit 3 people.

"It's a bathhouse! Nao, can I use th—"

"No."

"Why?" a sad Philia asked.

"Because it uses up 10000 col per use. I don't know why is that, but that's how the cookie crumbles. Nobody is using the bath unless I say so, because I pay for it."


"So that's why… you don't mind taking a bath with me?" Ying looked around the bathhouse.

"It's ok, I haven't tried out this bath either! Now just take off your clothes! You will get too cold if you don't. I'll go and fill up the bath." Philia's voice definitely has mixed in some happiness in it.

"Yeah… that's tru— achoo!"

"Ah, this is the best!" Philia was totally in bliss with her tone.

"It sure is. In SAO, you don't need to go to a bath or shower, and soon people just don't do it anymore." Ying was also enjoying the bath. "There is a bit of medical fragrance. It is probably why this is so expensive."

"So you are Nao's neighbour, right? How is he like in real life?" Philia moved a bit closer to Ying.

"Well, he is more of a… laid-back, unaware, airheaded, idiotic person." Ying said after a bit of thinking.

"That's kind of similar to the Nao I know… but also a bit too distinct…"

"And he is at times pretty heroic too!"

"I can see why."

"By the way, Philia, wh-where are you looking at!?" Ying covered up her chest at once.

It's a cliché move to do but… Are they 1 size bigger than mine…? C-Cup, no, D!? Philia eyed the black haired girls breasts deadpan in silence. Sometimes, comparing body features is unavoidable, especially both of them are naked in the same tub of water.

"Philia!" Ying splashed water a right at Philia's face, pulling her out of her attention towards the chest.

"Ah! Sorry." Philia apologized for the behavior. Still, she looked one more time. D, those are definitely D! She sank into the water, leaving only the head, where her shoulders are underneath the water, and grabbed her own B-sized busts. Sigh… life is really unjust.

"Phew… I am all warmed up and clean, Let's get out of the bath before we get a heatstroke." Ying stood up and walked out of the bath, wrapped herself in a towel. "Philia, do you love Naoki?"

"Love? Well… At least I see him as my boyfriend, and he knows about it due to a fortunate accident." Philia also got out of the water and did the same.

"Really? That's good… I'm relieved. You see, he is a very weird guy… he doesn't usually approach people, not the other way."

"Here are your clothes." Philia handed over a set of nightwear.

"Thank you."

Back in Presto's room, Philia laid quietly on the bed beside the sleeping Presto, careful not to wake him up. The words of Ying wormed into her heart. What was it that made Presto care about people? A plot was behind the scenes, one that changed him a lot, and she was not seeing it, at all.

"What exactly are you hiding from me, Nao?" she whispered under her breath, looking at Presto's face. "It's done."


Creak

The door to the bedroom was gently swung open, the hourglass figure walked into the room. Her footsteps were silent like a spectre, with that, walked to the right side of the bed. The two people sleeping on it didn't notice anything, slept like dead.

The figure grabbed hold of the man's hand, she opened her inventory menu, sending a battle request to the man.

A total loss mode.

She then guided the hand to press an invisible hologram, for her. Through training, she has mastered the skill of activating a sleeper duel.

Right after the man's hand slid to a certain position, the normal duel holograms shown up, the timer, and the words.

The figure pulled out the scythe and held it with one hand. It was her first job, and she couldn't control her breathing, nervous, and a bit scared.

The timer hit 0. The two didn't wake up. The figure spun her scythe, then rested it overhead, holding it with two hands, ready to slice down at her target.

"Sleep well, Naoki." she whispered.

The blade of the scythe swooped down, aiming at Presto's head. But in an instant, his zaffre eyes were wide open, shining in the dark, and rolled out of the way. The figure, though the area was dark, he could see it. It was Ying.

Ying was shocked for a moment, but she quickly regained her stance, and swiped the scythe sideways. Presto jumped the weapon passed just under his feet. He then grabbed the pole of the scythe, and pulled the black haired girl in, then with a spin, then a chop to the back of her neck, she was knocked out and released her grip. Presto opened his item menu, and pressed surrender, ending the fight. She was wearing a set of black and red leather armour, and now that her hair is no longer messy, her bangs were sloped to her left, without closer inspection it looked like Presto's hairstyle.

"Is it over?" Philia opened the door and switched on the lights.

"Yes," Presto then picked up the unconscious Ying, "now help me out just a bit."

Her mind was hazy, her vision became clear overtime, the last memory she had was Presto pulling her in using her scythe. She tried to wiggle her limbs, but to find that they are tied up and she laid there on the bed.

"Hey, what's the meaning of this?" Ying shouted out. Despite her effort, it was to no avail.

The door opened and in came Presto and Philia. "You are awake," Presto said.

"I get it, I failed my assassination mission, and you are now killing your friendly neighbour." Ying stopped struggling and smiled with a defiant grin, "Do it, you heartless scum."

"I don't plan to kill anyone in this game." Presto sat down facing his back towards the tied up assassin. "But you did not use your hiding skill when you were eavesdropping on us four, we all knew you were just out there."

"Yes, and my superior knows about it." she smirked, "It's too late now, the raid team will be wiped out."

"We will see about that." Presto crossed his arms, "But I am curious, why did you join the Laughing Coffin?" he then pointed to the symbol on her arm.

"Why, it's because of you!"

"Me? I didn't even know you were in the game." Presto was taken by surprise.

The two stayed silent for quite a while until Ying spoke again. "It doesn't seem you are lying, then let me tell you what happened."


He's not joking, is he?"

The teleport gate plaza was filled with terrified people. The day of fate when the players of SAO find out they were trapped. From that day on my life was hell.

"A girl player… are you scared? Do you need me to—"

"Stay away," I told the perverted fatty.

"Don't be like this… it's dangerous for a pretty girl to wander alone…"

Just as his grin showed up, more men appeared around the corners. Monsters are not only the ones players need to be careful of, there are also bandits. One of them grabbed me from behind, and his oily hands are trying to reach down to my chest. I didn't hold it in. I elbowed him in his abdomen, and unsheathed my scimitar.

I managed to escape after a deathless fight, but I was badly wounded. Limping in pain, I found myself a cave to rest in. No teleport crystals, no healing crystals, my contacts are not replying. Nothing. I was left for dead. I thought I escaped them. No. They sent men after me. I thought, this is the end of me, but no, I met someone you and I both knew—

"Hold on, both of us know?" Presto gave her a quick look.

"Well, it would be unbeneficial if you know his name, just hear me out first."

Anyways, the bandits sent people after me, they know where I am, and there I laid a sitting duck.

"Find that girl!" a coarse voice yelled, "She will pay for what she did to Orath!"

Their footsteps getting closer and closer, as is death walking towards me.

"Hey there."

A clear voice shouted from a bit farther away, and the footsteps stopped.

"Who are you? shoo!" the bandit shouted back.

"Nothing, just here to save a friend."

"Huh? You mean that girl? I see, you are her bodyguard, no?" then he blew a crisp whistle, "Take him out, boys!"

The sound of shouting started and ended soon. It was just like a storm brewed up and swallowed the bandits whole.

"Are you ok?" the man's voice suddenly rang out from my back.

I startled, and stumbled backwards, landing on my back. He has somehow passed by me without me noticing.

"Wait, you are—"

Then my mouth was covered.

"Ying, don't say my name, I am now Lento." he issued me and gave me a healing crystal.

I patched myself up, while he was just looking at me.

"Why do you know I'm here?" I asked.

He sat down, and gave a little sigh, "I got information that you are in danger. That's all."

"Then are you here to find Naoki as well?"

"Him?" Lento gave me a sharp glare, "Don't joke about it. He is now an entirely different person. I met him, and he is nothing but those bandit scums. Contributing nothing to the game."

"How can that be…"

"He is no longer Naoki… the next time I see him, he will be dead." Lento then looked away, "By the way, I am in a red guild, the Laughing Coffin."

He rolled up his sleeve and showed his symbol tattooed on it.

"But it is not a bad guild. We kill mostly bandits." Lento's voice became much smoother, "Just like the ones chasing you," his eyes narrowed, "and Naoki."

I sat there, frozen. Knowing "Lento", his words are mostly true… at that moment, all I can think of is Naoki being a bandit scum… that hit me hard.

"Now," he grabbed my hand, "You should also join the Laughing Coffin… to kill and punish who has done wrong."

I was unable to turn down his request. For one, he saved me; two, I need to see Naoki.

From there on out, I was trained by the Laughing Coffin, to become an assassin.


"Why did you not come and find me on the first day?" Ying shouted, "You could have easily found me on the first day, but no, you had to wander off somewhere else! Where is that heroic Naoki that I know and love!"

"I," Presto stuttered, "I am sorry, but sorry is not going to change anything."

"Nao…" Philia looked at Presto worriedly.

"Fate brought me to this point. There is no use trusting you for the time being. Consider yourself who is 'Lento'."

The rouge went silent, and unable to get her speaking again, the two walked out of the room.

That night, Presto had far more worries than Philia, more than the number of raindrops falling from the sky.

Crack

And more than the times thunder hits the wet earth.

What he didn't know, tomorrow will change his whole life.