I do not own SAO, and all credit is due to Reki Kawahara.

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THOUGHTS

"ssfas" speech

3RD Person P.O.V

The sparkles of bright multicolored lights floated throughout the air. Spirits and tiny faeries. Impossibly colored birds flitted throughout the trees, shades of blue, green, red. While their perches swayed listlessly in the wind.

Impossible cities dotted the land, marked out by different colors, and different habitats. Whether it be luxurious and high towers by the sea, to dark dungeons littered with traps and dangers. But in the center of it all sits the tree of legend, spine spiraling upwards to the clouds.

The branches reached across the entirety of the continent, even if it was only a single twig that touched the extremities. It presided over the world. It was the heavens, and the clouds, fields of blue and silver standing out against the lit background of the sky. The twirling otherworldly tree's bark climbed ever upwards until the top could no longer be seen by the naked eye, the impossible highest point that could never be reached by mortals. But a goal in futility to be sought after but never reached.

At the base of the tree, no far below that, at the roots, in the caves and underground entrances formed from the trees growth in the rich dark earth, came feral cries of the blighted gods below the base of the world tree.

Above ground; out of reach of the damned is the town of Arrun the city at the base of the tree. Where individuals or groups of any race may come to live and prosper. It spirals upwards at the base, full of light. It is home to the white stone gate that lead to the ultimate battle to fight for the right to enter the utopia that is the floating city. A symbol of hope, but a warning to those who wish to reach the top. Fraught with danger, but the only way to reach the top of the tree. For the right to fly as high and far as any player would want.

At the top of the tree, out of sight, and unknown to even the most adventurous player of Alfheim in the shadows of the highest branches of the tree hung a cage. It gleamed even the darkness, as if lit from within. The interior while luxurious was cold. The comfortable furniture and regal internal structure belied the fact that it was in fact a prison. Frozen blue lights flared in the ceiling, and chains sprouted from the walls. iron, and unbreakable. It was missing any visible exit, as befitting a prison.

Chained to the wall, wrists entangled in unforgiving metal band and arms pulled backwards into an uncomfortable position. Stuck kneeling, was the unconscious body of a young boy. His face was tilted towards the gleaming floor, unable to be seen, but his hair was limp and was slightly longer than what was expected of a boy. Long delicate ears tapered from the sides of his head, golden earrings glinting. His chest was exposed, other than the fact that grayish silver bandages covered his torso up to the neck, and over the bandages there was a simple black vest. Pale ashen skin was exposed along the lower arms, as if he had never seen the light of day. He was barefoot, wearing loose fitting pants. On his back came wings, each side an obsidian black with a golden tint along the edges, they looked sharp but the inner wing had a softer quality. Overall it looked feral and dangerous.

The air misted with his every breath, his hands were clenched, his body shivered often. Chilled wind streamed through the bars.

However, unknown to even the one who held him in that icy prison, he was smiling, as if he knew something that they didn't. In his clenched hand, loosening in fatigue, lay a simple leather necklace, while a single teardrop crystal trailed from his loosened palm.

-Line Break—

Kikioka POV

Kikuoka Seijirou, against popular belief was not a cold man. He just had troubles expressing emotion. He had a hard time showing anything past his cold façade. However, the feeling he first had upon seeing Yuuki Asuna was not one of pity, in fact it was anything but. The determination on her face despite the fact that she had the right to throw herself one heck of a pity party. No. In fact she was working twice as hard as many of the other SAO survivors to be back up to par.

He had barely ever heard of the heiress, other than maybe one name on a list of ten thousand, which he had only seen in passing. He had been in charge of innumerable children, young adults. He had watched as many died, as he was unable to do anything to help. All he could do is catalogue the names, and give whatever information to the friends and family of the ones trapped that he could glean from the game.

However, towards the middle and close to the end of the game, he kept finding information on three people. Heathcliff, Kirito, and one Asuna. They were renowned throughout the game for their skill in battle. And looking on at the girl the name belong to, he could very well believe it.

But he had to put those feelings of admiration aside, he had to know what was happening, and if there was anyone who would know anything about it, it would be the aforementioned three. And she was the only one in any condition to say something about it.

He fixed his glasses, rearranged his tie and made sure he was presentable, after all he was about to go talk to a war hero.

-Line Break—

Asuna POV

When she woke up, she had her family was there. As the world blurred into focus, she had been overwhelmed by a multitude of doctors, asking her questions; checking out her health. But in the background, hovering anxiously, had been her parents and brother.

After flurry of tests, a couple shots, and a stern order to "Not move." The doctors retreated enough to allow her family to speak with her. The converged as one, her mothers usually unruffled and cold appearance in place, but it was obvious that they had been camped out near her for a while. Her hair was bedraggled and her fathers glasses were ever so slightly askew. Her brother was in similar straits.

Why? We had already been in the game for so long…. They couldn't have been doing this the entire time.

"Asuna" they cried nearly as one in their relief, and she managed a laugh as they nearly all collided in their excitement to be closer to her, and to speak with her.

The first words out of her mother's mouth was "Asuna! Look at you, you've withered away to almost nothing. I told you nothing good could come of playing those games, just look at how many died! You could have been one of them!"

I think it's a good idea that I don't tell her that I nearly died…, she thought amusedly, but also more than half-way serious. Her father and brother just sat on the bed next to her, keeping watch as the nagging continued. She could tell in their slouched posture and relieved expressions that they were happy she was back though.

Much to their disagreement and trepidation, she pulled up her arm (which was full of needles, ugh...) and managed with a lot of effort to push herself into an upright position. She almost didn't make it though, the strain had her out of breath and her head spun. She managed to ignore the protests around her telling her to lay back down, to rest.

"Okaa-san, Otou-san, Onii-san… there is something that I need to know. Things that I need to do. I…. I can't just relax. To accomplish these goals, I need to get healthy as soon as possible. I want to start physical therapy immediately." Her face could have only been described as determined. Even thin and emaciated, she emanated a sense of calm and willpower.

The family gathered before her looked at each other, and took in her resolution before the father took the lead and spoke "Asuna, sweetie, you should rest a while. You were one of the last people to wake up…. We were afraid that you never would. You woke up days after the mass logout. Most of the surviving players had been up for a week. We don't know why it took you so much longer than the others to get back…"

Asuna was touched by their concern. Her thoughts however were tinged with shock, and she accidentally shouted out "Did everyone make it out okay?! Agil, Silica, Lisbeth? Did Kirito-kun?" Only to blush in embarrassment at the confounded looks on her families faces.

From the door however, came a slightly amused voice "I might have some answers for you, if you have some for me."

Well, sorry for the delay. I told myself that I was going to finish writing it last night. But I got held up on trying to think about how I wanted it to go. Hope you like it.

Review!

~A Muffin with a Mission