The Captive Swordsman

Chapter 8— A Different Standpoint

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Original Title: Sword Art Online(ソードアート・オンライン)

Original Concept by: Kawahara Reki

written by: wrathie

Author's Notes: God this release was almost never released due to IRL issues. Anyway, thank you, bowpurity for the beta!

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Asuna was very psyched at her first combat experience in ALO. It wasn't as easy as it was in SAO, simply because she wasn't as used to the flight mechanics just yet. But thankfully for her, her foes overconfidence had allowed her to engage them in a more familiar footing. She wasn't too sure how she'll face when they do engage in aerial combat though, that'll be tough.

Still, Asuna chalked that up as a good experience, simply because she got a better measure of what kind of enemies and tactics that she might face in her journey to find Kirito-kun.

Simply put, she had hesitated at first, being unsure as her enemy was a human, a player, and the deeply rooted instinct inside her that she could, might and would kill them if she got serious made her hesitate.

Such hesitation in the heat of battle could be fatal and Asuna was thankful that in this case, for the magus that she had spared, it hadn't been. For if he had been able to counter-attack, or to even hamper her retreat from his companions, she would have been the one that was 'killed'.

It was odd now, how that term... didn't seem as scary, or as real as it had been in SAO.

Agil was right, a game where people can die in it, was really too easy for them. Perhaps it was that determination and fear of death that made them stronger, and made them more desperate, and better than the average player?

Asuna didn't quite know, but she told herself to try and hold on to that same feeling she had before, for it was what might separate her from the rest in ALO. She could not fail after all, and if she did, then, life itself had no meaning without Kirito-kun. So, she will have to win every fight, she will have to survive every challenge, there is no time for her to wait and she could not die. It might seem silly to others, but not to Asuna, not to perhaps all the players who played SAO. 2 years of fighting for their lives, after that, just thinking about the possibility would be enough to make them recall what they had experienced over those two years.

Things, that sometimes were not worth remembering as well.

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'Let's go on, Leafa-chan.'

Asuna spoke casually after a few minutes breather. The entire confrontation had barely taken 5 minutes, such was the pace as well as the speed she had despatched of her foes, and Leafa agreed.

'There might be more of them, we should hurry. I'll be picking up the pace now, Asuna-san.'

Leafa nodded seriously even as she took to the air, Asuna following her closely before her eyes focused, and she shot forward like a speeding bullet.

'W-Woah!'

Asuna gawked at the rapidly disappearing Leafa before she too took off, pushing herself as fast as she could on her wings. It was a very odd sensation, as well as a very odd action for she was used to sprinting in SAO. This was, totally different. Her thoughts however, was interrupted by Yui, who said weakly that she couldn't go on.

'Ah, Yui-chan, you can hide in my pocket then.'

Asuna smiled even as she unbuttoned the coat pocket to allow Yui to sit in even as she tried harder to catch up with Leafa.

It took a while, but eventually Asuna did manage to catch up with Leafa, who smiled at Asuna even as she clapped her hands together.

'It's like I expected, Asuna-san! You're really very very fast. I always thought that since you were so fast on the ground, you'll be just as fast flying as well.'

'So... it's a test too?'

'Well, somewhat. Grandfather always told me that during competitions, it's much easier to lose if one thinks about what one is doing.'

'Eh...? I don't quite understand.'

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Asuna tilted her head in confusion even as the two of them continued on their hurried pace. Leafa was one of the fastest Sylph's in ALO, and seeing how Asuna could keep up with her easily, Asuna would share at least the same title as well.

'Well, in Kendo, when we are training, we swing our swords repeatedly... I must have swung my sword more than a few thousand times... perhaps a million times now, that it becomes second nature to me. We do that to get our bodies to be familiar with the process, it's called muscle memory, we get used to doing what we have done repeatedly over our practice. The practise also makes us better in what we are doing and we get better till we are the best we can be in that particular stance or action. When we practise enough, we would also be able to replicate the right movement all the time unconsciously without thinking about it.'

Leafa explained even as Asuna nodded her head in understanding.

'Then, when we think about what we are doing, we would normally not be able to do the same, because instead of following what our bodies have been trained to do, we follow what our brain 'think' we should do. So, I think that it's best to learn things by 'doing' it, instead of 'learning' about it. Asuna-san, you flew better without the controller, desho? So you did even better unconsciously when you tried to catch up with me, rather than trying to learn how to fly faster, neh?'

Leafa answered cheerfully even as Asuna clapped her hands in understanding.

'T-That's amazing! Leafa-chan, you're an amazing teacher!'

Asuna beamed at the younger girl even as Leafa blushed and looked away.

'N-No, nothing like that... I... I just thought that it'll work.'

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Leafa admitted, but she couldn't help but smile happily too as Asuna was all smiles. It was an aspect of Asuna that Leafa had not expected her to have. The Asuna-san that Suguha knew was a person that really, really, really liked her Onii-chan, Kirigaya Kazuto.

To see her so excited and happy about her first battle in ALO was a little disconcerting. In ALO, there really wasn't any levelling system, instead the game emphasis on the usage and mastery of skills. The more one uses skills, the better they were at that particular skill. However, it's not just that, real skill matters as well. Leafa had initially thought that Asuna was good at fighting because of her high skill stats that were transferred from SAO, but then she saw the way she moved in those unorthodox battling style, the confident way in which she held her weapon, as well as the dangerous glint in her eyes when she landed the final blows on her enemies. Asuna liked battling and she thrived in combat... and that thought was enough to cause her to be a little apprehensive and confused. Did her brother know about this? Then again, her brother had been the one who had stopped and defeated the madman, Kayaba Akihiko after all. It makes sense that he was a very good player and a good swordsman too. Could her gentle brother be... better than Asuna in combat? That thought actually made her feel proud and upset at the same time, Onii-chan had always shown great potential in Kendo, she was right in saying that it was a waste for him to just give it up so easily after all!

..

But back to the main point of her not knowing Asuna, for in the past few hours, she had seen many aspects of Asuna that she had not seen before. In retrospect, it was to be expected actually, as their initial meeting hadn't been the best introduction after all. She had been very upset to see a stranger bursting into her brother's room, totally brush aside her family's questions before dropping the bombshell that she was her Onii-chan's girlfriend and secret love.

If Suguha had not been prepared for the worst when her brother had not woken up despite the rest of the SAO players had, she would have fainted by then. Thankfully, or unfortunately, she didn't, and was forced to witness the stranger cry and beg for her brother to wake up. She had done the same for quite some time after the news that her brother might not wake up due to a game had sank in.

It hadn't seemed real then, and it certainly didn't seem real to see her Onii-chan's lover doing that in front of her. In an instant, Suguha had turned from younger sister/cousin, to a girl who had just had her unrequited love utterly shattered. It would be enough to cause her to cry too, but all she could do was to watch on as Asuna continued to shake and beg her brother to wake up. Suguha had tried that for days, but she realized that it was just her clinging to disbelief, she truly believed that it was a dream, that it was a lie, and that her brother would wake up by himself.

In essence, Asuna and her were the same in what they wanted. The two of them wanted Kirigaya Kazuto/Kirito-kun, to wake up, but they differed from each other as they had different reasons for how he would wake up.

For Suguha, she was clinging onto the hope that the news reports were wrong, that someone, somehow would do something to help her brother to wake up. That this was a nightmare, that this was not real, and in the next instant, her brother would wake up just like that. At least, Suguha had believed that, for although she respected, and liked her big brother, she had never thought for once that her Onii-chan could be the one to take the lead in a bid to be free from the nightmare that had consumed them, as well as their families.

It's not that Suguha did not believe, or had faith in her brother, she... like many ordinary people, with ordinary lives, had difficulty imagining that their family members would, in times of crisis, show themselves to be capable of great things. Those heroic acts were always documented on Television, in newspapers, and in almost all of the occasions, it was always the common man who showed their worth, as well as their bravery at the most hopeless and unexpected situations.

Did their family members, or their friends, or they themselves ever thought that they would be capable of that fact? The answer would usually be a resounding no, and Suguha, together with the Kirigaya family, was in the same boat.

They clung onto the hope that someone else would save Kirito, and not Kirito himself. Perhaps, when the days dragged by, and the news of the 'terrorist' act died down, perhaps Suguha had tried to hope that her brother would do something, would respond to her desperate prayers to wake up. But to be totally honest, Suguha didn't believe it herself. She wanted to, but it was harder for her everyday. Her visits to the hospital slowly dropped from once a day to once every three days, her time spent with her brother would less be of praying, and begging, but more of her staring at her brother, waiting, hoping. The two things seemed similar, but they were different. The former was Suguha believing that there was still something to be done, the latter was her praying for a miracle to be happen, something that would only occur when all available methods were exhausted.

Suguha had not given up hope, but the hope that she clung on to, she knew it was irrational. But she believed in it anyway, she tried to believe that her brother was doing something, all of the victims were doing something to be free.

That was what differed from her and Asuna.

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Asuna, she never wavered, she had never changed what she believed in. She believed in her brother, Kirigaya Kazuto/Kirito-kun, and she knew that he would be doing all that he was capable of to come back to her, to them. She was simply waiting after it became apparent that her onii-chan was not going to wake up with her actions. So she waited, and with just that difference, was enough to make Suguha feel ashamed, upset, embarrassed as well as angry at her all together.

Asuna was her onii-chan's lover, his girlfriend, and in that one aspect, Suguha felt that she had utterly lost to her. She hadn't believed in her onii-chan, had obviously no idea what her onii-chan was like, and despite, despite liking her onii-chan, hadn't had the courage to proclaim her love like how Asuna-san was able to.

All of that made her feel embarrassed as well as ashamed when she met with Asuna-san when she visited her big brother. Perhaps it was also due to her appearance did Suguha wanted to change herself as well. Even if it was obvious that Asuna-san loved her big brother and was so passionately in love that she truly did not care what others viewed her as, Suguha was not going to give up her big brother without a fight! She had been family with him for so many years now, even if... she knew that he had been avoiding her and her mother for the last four years. Suguha knew that it was not making a good name for herself, but still, she was his sister after all! Only, they were not blood related... so the saying of: 'Blood is thicker than water' didn't apply here.

Still, Suguha was still family! But if Asuna was her brother's lover and they married, even if it's in-game, it would mean that Asuna was her sister-in-law, and was family!

With Suguha's own confusion and inability to discuss her situation with her mother, she had adopted a wait-and-see approach to Asuna and what she really wanted with her brother. If the two of them really loved each other, Suguha would be willing to give up voluntarily, it would be bad for her to get in the way of her brother's love after all, seeing that she was his sister. It wouldn't be right... and besides, Suguha felt that no matter what she did, she couldn't beat Asuna with her devotion and belief of her brother. She wouldn't call it possessive just yet, but it was close enough for her to feel somewhat conflicted at seeing somehow so obviously in love with her brother.

Their mother, Kirigaya Midori had expressed that as much to Suguha after witnessing Asuna's devotion, as well as having a conversation with her one night when she was visiting. Suguha trusted her mother's judgement on that subject and had given up trying to doubt Asuna's love for her brother. The question now was whether her brother really felt the same for Asuna as well. Asuna had told them told them how they had met, and how they had gotten married... and how he helped saved all of them. But unfortunately, she hadn't gone into too much details at that time, she was still defending her position as Onii-chan's lover after all, but now that she had the chance, perhaps she could learn more about their relationship together!

Even if Suguha was extremely, extremely upset at them adopting a daughter and not even informing her. She had almost lost it, and if she knew that her brother had done something to Asuna in the game when everyone was worrying over them, she'll make sure that he'll taste the edge of her sword as well.

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'Ah! That's right!'

Suguha/Leafa, gave a cry of surprise as she stopped in mid-air, a sudden thought having came to her mid-way. Her actions forced Asuna to do the same as she screamed to a halt as well.

'What's wrong, Leafa-chan?'

'I forgot to bring in the laundry after dinner today! G-Gomen, Asuna-san!'

Panicking that it was nearing 10pm now and was getting late, Leafa asked for a small break, which Asuna agreed to easily. It would not do for her to be discovered by her family with the Nervegear on again, who knows what they'll think.

'Can we log-out here then?'

'E-Erm, no, we'll have to take turns to log-out, c-can I log out first, Asuna-san?'

With Leafa panicking, Asuna tried hard to placate the younger girl even as she took deep breaths to calm herself down.

'I... Oka-san she... doesn't like... nervegears... so even if I'm using the second generation, the AmuSphere, she might get upset. Gomen ne, Asuna-san.'

'Leafa-chan... I told you before, please call me Asuna... and it's fine... My family feels the same, but I locked the door, so... I should be fine. I'll stay as the lookout. Hurry back, Leafa-chan~'

Asuna nodded in understanding even as Leafa nodded, glad that she understood before she pressed the log-out button, and her avatar's head dropped down as though she was asleep.

'Yui-chan~'

'Yes, Mama?'

'Let me spoil you a little, okay?'

Asuna giggled even as she hugged the tiny navigation pixie to her chest, causing the tiny girl to protest before blushing at being held tenderly like that by her mother. Due to the time constraints that the two of them faced when explaining the situation to Leafa, they really didn't have time to speak with each other alone.

Now that they had some privacy, Asuna started filling in Yui with what happened during her few months alone, but before that, she reaffirmed her goal here.

'Mama will find Papa, with Yui-chan's help. So, I promise to help save Papa from the bad guy who was holding him captive, it's a promise, Yui-chan!'

'Mm! Okay, I believe Mama! Let's save Papa!'

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'Oka-san!'

Suguha was surprised to see her mother in the living room reading newspapers, but then she turned guilty when she realized that it was quite late, it was around 10.30pm, a time where she should be sleeping, or at least be tucking herself to bed.

It was still a surprise to see her mother though, that meant that she had managed to come home earlier than usual today.

'Hey, Sugu... You're still awake?'

Kirigaya Midori looked up from the newspaper to smile at her younger child, even as she chided her for leaving the laundry outside to draw at night.

'Gomen, I kind of forgot after dinner...'

Suguha scratched her head sheepishly even as she sat down in front of her mother. Suguha didn't know why she did that, but every time she saw her mother, she remembered the sacrifice that she had made so that the two of them could live peacefully without worry. Her dad too, although it was even harder to see him around. She would be lucky to see her father once a month at times. It was difficult to raise a household after all, and knowing that, Suguha and Kazuto had became quite independent by themselves, learning how to cook, to prepare breakfast, to do laundry and all the other housework that had kept their home tidy, as well as comfortable despite the lack of adults.

Suguha wouldn't say that she was a very mature person, she was like any child her age, but sometimes her friends would beg to differ on that opinion. Even so, Suguha acted her age when she suddenly asked her mother what she felt about what Asuna.

'Yuki-san? What do you mean about that, Sugu?'

Her mother was surprised, but she was understanding as well for she placed the newspapers to the side to listen to Suguha's worries more closely. Midori had always felt more than a little guilty that perhaps it was her decision, as well as her inability to deal with the fallout of Kazuto finding out that he was adopted that had caused a gap between Kazuto and his sister. They had gotten along so well before then too.

'… I... spoke a lot with Asuna-san today... and I... I'm not sure what I should feel about Asuna-san... I... I know Asuna really likes Onii-chan... but, s-she's... odd too.. I don't understand her. How could she... What does oka-san feel about Asuna?'

Midori had picked up on how Suguha had suddenly dropped the honorifics when talking about Yuki Asuna, a girl who Midori had accepted as someone that was Kazuto-kun's lover.

Even if she really wasn't, Midori would be honestly very disappointed if he did not break the news to her gently. She was terribly in love, and even if she knew that it was not a healthy thing to do over a long time, she was touched by the girls' devotion as well as her belief in her son. She would be happy to give Asuna her blessings, but she understood that Suguha would have difficulty accepting that as well.

Suguha might have thought that she had been hiding it well, but Midori knew that her daughter had quite a crush on him, and since technically they were cousins... Midori always stopped thinking after that, for she knew that it would be... very awkward, too awkward. That was the reason why she had told Suguha the truth when Kazuto had fallen unconscious. She did not want Suguha to do something stupid when Kazuto woke up, it was hard enough for the family to see Kazuto end up in that state, and the last thing she needed was for Suguha to break down as well from the strain.

'Yuki-san, is a person that likes Kazuto-kun... That's all I know.'

'But, Oka-san! S-Surely, it can't be that simple? I... I started knowing Asuna more today, and I kind of … know her better, but... I also know how different she could be... I don't... feel...'

'What do you feel then, Suguha?'

Midori made Suguha stop by reaching out to hold her arm, calming Suguha down even as she bit her lip and confessed that she felt lost, that she felt uneasy, like she simply couldn't understand what was going on, and what she felt now.

'I don't know any more, Oka-san... I don't know whether I should accept Asuna, or should I... try to force them apart, Ka-san... I like her, as well as fear her... Onii-chan he, does he really like Asuna? Is... Does he know how she is like?'

Midori took a moment to contemplate her answer before she spoke softly, telling Suguha that only Kazuto would know the answer.

'Only your brother would know, he was the one who married her after all. And... you trust your brother don't you?'

For some reason, Suguha flinched at her mother's words, even looking guiltier than ever before she nodded her hesitantly.

'Sugu?'

'I... I do, Oka-san. I trust brother... I should have trusted him a long time ago, but I didn't... but now, I will... because, Asuna showed me that if she could, I could too.'

Suguha gave her mother a brave smile even as she herself looked a little confused. Still, it was a good thing and she continued.

'Trust your brother to make the right decision, Sugu. He's a grown man now... he's a hero after all...'

Midori's words made Suguha sit up right before staring at her in utter shock, even as Midori giggled to herself as she leaned back against the couch.

'What is it Sugu, I play games as well, and I do know what you younger generation calls heroes, and heroines... but your brother is a real hero, Sugu. He saved all the people who survived to Sword Art Online incident. Even if he might look weak, and sometimes he might not get along with people, that doesn't change the part that he did save everyone. He's a hero, Sugu, and you should believe in that hero, and what he chose and decided. Your brother, he'll definitely make the right choice.'

Author's Notes: Slight filler, I think this chapter is that way