Sword Art Online: A Maiden's Voyage
Dear journal,
It's been a while since I last wrote, but Master Kirito and I have been so busy moving from one floor to another, that I haven't had time to write! I've gotten stronger, and it's making my chances of survival better… tonight, we've joined a guild! Oh, gotta go!
I put down my journal and picked up my metal wine cup. Raising it, I clanged it together with the others, calling, "cheers!" Kirito looked a bit awkward, but I was enjoying myself. Keita, Tetsuo, Sachi, Sasamaru and Ducker. I giggle as they toast him again. He looked sooooo out of place, heeheehee! As he sat back down, Keita, the leader, leaned in and whispered, "Kirito, sir, I was just wondering…. What level you're at?" Kirito looked a little down and aside. "Twenty…" he said. I blinked. Kirito was twice that, why would he lie?
Keita declared, "You're an inspiration to us all, sir!" Kirito shook his head. "I'm not your superior, Keita. And being a solo player, means I'm always hunting monsters out in the boonies. It's not very efficient." Keita started, "Well, in that case, we'd love to have you and your friend in our guild! Tetsuo is our mace wielder, and the only one we can put out front! And then, we've got Sachi here." He started patting the head of the blue-haired girl.
"I was thinking of having her switch to sword and shield, but she says she doesn't know if she can do it. If you join our guild, maybe you can teach her a thing or two!" She looked embarrassed. "Oh, come on, I'm not that useless! You can't just stick me out front and expect me to know what to do!" Keita continued, "Just hide behind your shield!" Sasamaru butted in, "Ever since she was little, Sachi's always been a scaredy-cat!" the whole guild started chuckling. Kirito gulped. "I'm really flattered, and thanks for the offer… we'll do it!"
A week later, Kirito and I were with the Moonlit Black Cats on Floor 20, Sunlit Forest, watching them tackle a Killer Mantis. Sasamaru was jabbing his spear at it, and it hissed madly. As we watched, the Mantis lashed its forearm blade at Sachi, striking her shield. Kirito jumped in and cut its arm off. "Come on, Tetsuo! Switch out!" the macer dashed in, purple light coating his mace. "On it!" he slammed it into the monster's side, and it shattered. Later that night, Keita announced, "After our latest hunt, we have 200,000 Col!" Sasamaru added, "Buying a house doesn't seem like a pipe-dream anymore!" that night, I slept well, never noticing Kirito leave.
SAO-SAO-SAO-SAO-SAO-SAO-SAO-SAO-SAO-SAO-SAO
While I slept, Sachi slipped off, and I was woken by Tetsuo. "Hey, Lettie! Can you go and look for Sachi? We'll head to the dungeons, so look around town, please?" I nod, pulling on my armour. I closed my eyes, and visualised Sachi, where she'd gone. My Trace ability showed her trail, and I followed it. Soon, I tracked her down under a bridge. Hugging her, I let her tell me about her fears, and the hope she wouldn't let us down, and that she didn't want to die. I showed her my journal entries, and confessed that I felt the same crushing fear that I'd die, and no-one would remember me, or care. Soon, I helped her up and led her back to the inn where we roomed. Tucking her back in, I kissed her forehead, climbed in next to her, and held her for the rest of the night…