Chapter 2: Arrival
Time: Unknown
Location: Deep space, Voyager class Rift Jumper, code name: Avalon
POV: Third Person
It had been a couple of hours since the two dimension travelers had decided to go on a vacation and let their allies know they we're leaving.
"Hey Maddy! You almost ready!?" Cole shouted as he walked down the hall way towards his girlfriends living quarters.
"Yes Cole! That's the fifth time you've asked me and the answer is still the same!" Madeline barked.
"I'm just trying to get us on the road, the next chapter just started and all the authors are here already." Cole replied.
"Wait, already? I thought the next chapter wasn't supposed to be until next week!?" Madeline accused.
"I thought so too. Wetworkz must finally be getting off his butt and actually working on this." Cole laughed as he stood outside Madeline's door.
He stood there leaned up against the door for a few more moments before he heard the click of the sliding metal doors locks retract, causing the door to retract into the wall, causing him to fall backwards flat onto his back with a yelp and a grunt of pain. Madeline was just about to walk out of her room when she saw Cole falling towards her. She stepped back a pace, just out of range, and giggled as he fell to the floor.
"No need for alarm ma'am, just a standard protocol gravity check, you can go about your business now." Cole groaned as he smiled and looked up at his 'upside down' girlfriend.
"Alright then goofball, up you go." she jeered as she grabbed him by his hood and with a single hand, lifted him up off of the floor and held him there for a few moments.
"Lovely weather up here isn't it." Cole joked as he dangled there.
"Why yes it is, now lets go, you we're the one waiting on me weren't you?
"Too true Maddy, too true." Cole chuckled. "But I was also here to ask if you'd be okay with Logan tagging along?" he questioned. To which Madeline shook her head.
"Nah, I don't care, but I do want to know why she'd want to come though?" She asked.
"Oh good, I thought you might not want her to come because of that fight in the caves." Cole explained.
Madeline scoffed. "I told you, her, and everyone else. I don't hold any of what she did against me. She was under Director White's control back then, and I'd do the same things she did to keep my family safe." The super soldier replied.
"Alright alright, just wanted to make sure... anyway, she doesn't even know she's coming, It's just that she's been in need of a break than you and me combined. She's been doing her chores, training and going to bed. Not even eating. Not that she needs it but you know what I mean." Cole spoke, his trademark peppiness vanishing briefly.
"I get where you're coming from. She's lost nearly everyone she's ever loved before, and the only one left alive had his soul merged with hers." Maddy added.
"Yeah... now before we get into the rest of our lives, do you mind putting me down so we can tell Logan? We want to save some of the mystery until the story actually starts ya know?" Cole smirked as he looked this way. Maddy following his gaze soon after.
"So wait. There's more people watching now? Well, I guess that one month of knowing I wasn't being constantly watched was nice while it lasted." Madeline griped.
"Ah it's not so bad. Wetworkz isn't the type to follow us when we really don't want to be seen. I used to be paranoid every time I went to the bathroom, but now I know he never see's us in there." Cole chuckled
"Small comforts. But yeah, you're right. And I have no idea how I forgot I was holding you." Madeline spoke as she set her boyfriend down.
"Probably because Wetworkz forgot to say you did." Cole laughed as he headed to Logan's room to tell said assassin the news.
The tomboy laughed softly at her boyfriends antics before heading back into her room to retrieve her luggage.
Time: 2022
Location: Earth, old Japan, one week before SAO release date
POV: Third person
We find ourselves in twenty first century Japan, it was just as active as the history books portrayed it. Bullet trains zooming by on their way to who knows where, people walking driving or cycling, and just going about their daily lives. It was anything but quiet. That's why nobody noticed the small electrical storm going on in a nearby alleyway. It seemed to be some kind of green and purple vortex with lightning bolts surging around it. It grew for a few moments before it gave a muffled explosion like sound and a flash of light, moments later three figures stood where the storm was, suitcases in hand and pained looks on two of the faces, the third looking only mildly uncomfortable.
"Did we make it?" Cole asked as he shook his head to try and focus.
"I think we did... Hey Logan? Can you check and see? My ears are still ringing." Madeline groaned.
The third figure was a girl, seventeen by the look of her. She wore a gray hooded T shirt with a black undershirt beneath it. Dark gray cargo pants that were somewhat baggy on her, gray high top tennis shoes with white soles and blue stripes on the sides. Her golden eyes seemed to glow, and her blonde hair went down to her shoulders, and an emotionless expression adorned her face. All of her luggage was apparently stuffed into her brown back pack.
"Very well, I should be only a moment." Logan informed as she swiped her hand in a down ward motion, bringing up a holographic display of some sort. She then began tapping in several commands before scanning over the results.
"I have hacked into the nearest Data console. We are in Japan, and the year is 2022." Logan concluded as she helped her two allies to their feet.
"Are you well?" logan asked, if you didn't know her, you would have mistaken the way she asked that for not really caring.
"Yeah we're fine... this is the farthest back in time she's gone though, and our connection is making us share the load of the strain it's putting on her. We'll be fine in a minute though." Cole replied.
"Very well. I shall find you both a place to sit down and rest. I will be back shortly." Logan assured as she walked out of the alleyway and out of sight.
Cole sighed quietly as she left before looking towards Madeline.
"She'd be her own person if it weren't for me. Her own family, her own friends, her own place to live... she could've been a damn princess Maddy... Why'd I take that from her?" Cole whispered remorsefully as he helped Madeline to her feet.
"You didn't take it from her Cole. She made the decision herself, and if she could hear you right now, she'd probably tell you the same thing." she replied
"I have found the store you mentioned previously." Logan announced as she walked around the corner again, snapping Cole and Madeline from their previous conversation.
"Er- Thanks Logan... did you find a place for us to stay too?" Madeline questioned. While Cole grabbed his and her bags with only a little bit of trouble.
"I have not. From what you explained earlier, we do not have very much in the way of ancient Japanese currency beyond what we need for Sword Art Online and the required hardware. However. I came prepared for nearly all likely possibilities." Silver spoke as she helped Madeline to her feet and led them both towards the video game store where SAO was going to be sold.
"You've got to be kidding me." Madeline groaned her hand which was currently covering her face as Cole was having a hard time holding back his laughter. Both reactions being caused by the sight of a decently large gray tent with blue and orange patterns set up near the store.
"From what understand, it is not uncommon to see people standing in line for days, or even weeks, to get an optimal place in a line for things such as this." Logan explained as she started to unzip the tent.
"I am NOT, sleeping in a tent that small with two other people for a week just to wait for a video game, I've slept in less for longer, but that was completely different." Madeline declared.
"Well I have to admit Logan, I didn't think you'd be the type to pull a stunt like this. I'm actually a little impressed." Cole chuckled. Logan tilted her head slightly in confusion.
"Is the tent not to your satisfaction? I enchanted it to the best of my abilities and found it quite comfortable." Silver spoke, regaining the attention of her two companions.
"Enchant-" Madeline started as she finished unzipping the tent to look inside. Gazing upon what looked to be a less metallic and homier looking spin off of the Tardis before shaking her head a moment later. "Well this is better than what I thought it was I guess." Madeline sighed with tired smile.
"Is it not to your satisfaction? I apologize Madeline." Silver apologized softly.
"No Logan." Madeline replied as she let go of the tent flap and went up to the younger and slightly shorter Assassin a hug. "It's great, thank you. I know you have a hard time with Magic nowadays. So I know this must have not been easy." Madeline spoke as she squeezed a little tighter into the hug. Logan, not being used to displaying emotions, or receiving positive ones, just stood there not knowing what to do.
Cole, having just finished taking a look inside himself whistled then went over to pat Logan on the back. "Ditto to that Logan. I couldn't have done this better myself." Cole added.
"... Thank you. I appreciate your compliments." Logan responded before her eyes widened. Cole picking up on her slight change in behavior spoke up.
"Something wrong Logan?" Cole asked with a lower and more serious tone.
"I detect a surge of emotions coming from twenty yards behind me and closing. Can you see it?" Logan asked as Madeline let her go so they could both get a better look. And they saw a group of seemingly early to mid twenty year old males closing in on them with what looked like camping supplies in tow. Logan quickly zipped up the tent before returning to the side of her two friends.
As the group got closer to the three however, they could make out what they were saying.
"I told you we weren't going to be the only ones with the same idea." a slightly 'rounder' one called out.
"Hey! There's only one more group in front of us. We may not be the first ones in line but we sure aren't going to be last." A man with short messy hair and a red bandanna replied.
Cole couldn't hold it back and doubled over in laughter.
The one in the Bandanna looked slightly amused as they finally got close enough to talk to without having to raise voices.
"Hey now, I hope you're not laughing at us for the reason I think you are because you're doing it too ya know?" he chuckled as he went to shake Cole's hand.
"Oh no, no no no no." Cole replied with a smile. "I'm laughing because there are people out there that want this just as bad as I do." Cole spoke as he shook the mans hand.
"Are you kidin' man? This is one of the most anticipated games in existence! I'm just surprised there aren't mor-" the man was cut off by Cole slapping his hand over his mouth.
"Hey, don't go jinxing this dude! We wanna spend at least the rest of the day in as much quiet as we can okay?" Cole spoke in a semi serious tone as he took his hand off the other guys mouth and apologized.
"Ah it's fine man. Just warn a guy next time alright?" the man warned.
"Okay dude, sorry i had to do that, we're just a little superstitious is all." Cole explained as he gestured to the two girls behind him.
As he looked back to the guy in the bandanna, he noticed he was staring at them both with his mouth agape, his eyes shadowed by his bandanna. He also noticed that most of the guys behind him were in similar states. Cole realized what was going on and in the words of the immortal Baymax he spoke:
"Oh no." was all he got out before he was shoved aside by the man who put his hand out and did a half bow
"Hi! My name is Klein, age 22, I'm single and looking for a relati-." The newly dubbed 'Klein' was cut off by Madeline forcefully shoving her hand over his mouth.
"Look, I'm already taken okay? And even if I wasn't, I just met you. Now, I'm going to take my hand off of your mouth alright?" Madeline questioned in a low tone, it could almost have been interpreted as aggression but it was only mild annoyance.
Klein nodded his head apologetically, having snapped out of his... trance? Yeah, that's what I'm gonna call it.
As the super soldier in disguise took her hand away from Klein's mouth, he took a deep breath from his mouth due to his lack of oxygen.
"Hey uh, sorry about that little out burst there." Klein apologized to Madeline as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, causing Madeline to sigh, her apparently being somewhat used to it.
"It's fine." she replied as she checked on Cole to see if he was okay. "Just don't do it again, a second chance is all you get from me." she warned. Causing Cole to chuckle. "Ah, good times." he joked, Madeline wasn't in the mood to be reminded of such times and elbowed his stomach, hard. To the unaware onlooker, it would look like she caught him unaware and nailed him good. But what really happened was she elbowed him with enough force to put a decent dent in a car door. He promptly fell over with a pained look and no air in his lungs, possibly a bruised rib or two but his regenerative properties would take care of that in a few moments after that.
One of Klein's friends that was close enough to see and hear what happened grinned. "Well what about your friend with the blonde hair by the tent? Is she available?" the man asked. Cole having just recovered shook his head.
"I wouldn't mate. She's more the type to set your balls on fire." the maverick groaned. Still wincing as his ribs put themselves back together. The man who spoke had no idea Cole was talking literally however.
"Hmm, I think I like the sound of that." he smiled suggestively as he went over to talk to the assassin, having no idea that she had heard the entire conversation, and he also had no idea what he was walking into. Madeline realizing to late to stop him opened her mouth to warn him but it was in vain.
"Wait! He was being-."
Ahhhh! Oh ow gah haaaa! My balls are on fire, My balls are on fire!" The man cried out in pain while furiously patting his nether regions to try and snuff the flames as he ran to a nearby fountain.
Cole, ignoring the pain in his ribs caused by the state of hysterical laughter he just entered promptly fell over. Madeline looked divided between going to help the poor sap, but remembered he approached her friend with less than appropriate intent and left him. Klein however seemed to have the same idea as Madeline, but chuckled a little despite himself. Logan came over to the group of three confused, not that her neutral expression let anyone know that.
"Is is customary to approach someone in Japan and light their reproductive organs on fire? Or is it something I do not understand?" Logan questioned with her head tilted slightly to the side.
Cole having just recovered from his laugh attack fell over once again at the assassins reply. Even Madeline let herself smile at that. "Well... let's just leave it at: he was kind of asking for it alright?" the soldier smirked at the girl she had come to know as a sister. "Is this similar to the occasion that Delta attempted something similar?" Logan asked, receiving a nod in reply.
"Than was that the appropriate reaction or should I have done something less drastic?" the assassin questioned. This time it was Klein that responded to mild shock of Madeline and Cole.
"In all honesty, I wouldn't be surprised if you had done something a bit worse. Dynamm's a good guy, but he needs a good kick in the rear sometimes." Klein explained.
Cole and Madeline smiled, this guy wasn't as bad as they originally thought. Maybe this week would go by better than they thought.