Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online or K-On! However, I am encouraging you all to watch Sword Online's Season 2, which debuted very recently.
KingofBeasts Productions Present:
K-Online!: A Sword Art Online/K-On! Crossover
Chapter 9: The Redemption I Seek
Asuna was seeing red.
In real life context, that would mean that she was angry beyond relief. In the death-game known as Sword Art Online, that would mean you were near death.
Asuna was on her belly, struggling to get to her feet as her lifebar was at it's most miniscule, having sustained heavy damage from [Krogor the Swamp Lord]. She looked around to see Yui trying and failing to stand up, her state no better than hers.
"Everyone..." She whimpered helplessly as she could only watch Mio, Taiga and Klein brace themselves for another, potentially fatal breath attack.
Imagine her surprise when said potentially fatal attack was redirected with a single spear to the leg by a mysterious girl. Added to the fact that her health bar was suddenly restored to full capacity by another person.
She looked up to see a familiar set of brown eyes and a untidy mop of black hair smiling down on her.
"Kirito...kun?"
"Honestly, you guys have the tendency to draw trouble to you." Kirito chuckled as he offered his hand to the strawberry haired rapier wielder "Can you stand?"
"I-I guess..." Asuna murmured as he helped her to her feet, a slight blush tinging her cheeks the moment he held her hand "We should help Yui."
"Got it." The Black Swordsman nodded as they began walking towards their mutual friend. Asuna then turned to see the lone spearwoman face down the giant reptile on her own, acting as a wall between Mio, Taiga and Klein and the giant beast.
"Kirito-kun..." Asuna asked as they knelt down next Yui and used a healing crystal on her "Who's that?"
As a reply, Kirito turned to Asuna and gave her a rather reassuring smile.
"A new friend."
"So the [Swamp's Sapphire] quest should be here, right?"
"If what my sources are telling are correct."
"And by sources, you mean Argo?"
"Correct!"
Kirito could not help but facepalm at the blunt answer delivered sweetly by Brunhilde. It was either that she did not know Argo well enough, or she does but is willing to pay whatever fees the Rat offered.
As of now, he did not know whether it was the former or the latter.
When they had reached the clearing where the quest was located, they saw that five other had already engaged [Krogor the Swamp Lord]. He immediately recognized them, being a good friend to the girls as well as an acquaintance to Klein.
They intended to let them finish the quest and wait for it to respawn, seeing as they seemed to have it in the bag.
At least, that was the plan until that breath attack turned things for the worse. As they watched them fall one by one, Kirito noticed that the Valkyrie clenched her fist so tightly, it would've drawn blood in the real world. He saw it on her face for a brief second, but he could not deny what Brunhilde was feeling right now.
Righteous anger.
"We have to help them." she said finally with all the level-headedness she tried to muster. The fact that she reacted so strongly to what she saw...
Kirito knew that he'd have time to question her about it later. For now, they had to save them first.
"It hurt them."
That single thought was running rampant in Brunhilde's mind as she stared down the giant boss. She kept a stoic expression, something the helmet had helped with, but the fury in her blue eyes was shown for all to see.
"It hurt my friends."
The savage [Krogor] had but half his last life bar left, but that did not seem to cause the manic beast run roughshod over the Party. However, she did not care. All Brunhilde saw was one dead lizard.
Gripping her [Lucent Spear] tightly in her hands, she began her purposeful stride towards the boss, taking a few steps before going on a full sprint towards the beast.
"Valkyrie-san, watch out!" Mio tried to call out to her in vain, but found that her cries were unheard. She was about to run to her aid, only for Klein to hold her back.
"Klein! What are you-?!"
"I know you want to help right now. I want to do the same." Klein grunted as he held the struggling bassist to the best of his ability "But we both know we'll just get in her way the way we are now."
"But..."
"I'll have to agree with him." Taiga sighed as Kirito and Asuna came with Yui, healing crystals in hand "I hate it, but we'll have to stay back for a while. Let's heal up first, then we can join the fight."
"...Fine." Mio's body sagged, finally relenting as she let Kirito heal her, that pinging sound meaning that her HP would be brought to full health soon.
She just hoped that the Valkyrie would hold out until then.
More than a year ago, while Sword Art Online was nearing it's finishing stages...
"You want me to play Sword Art Online as a Beta Tester?"
Tsumugi Kotobuki blinked in surprise as she sat in her family's rather spacious living room with her father, who had wanted to speak to her personally on a certain matter.
"As a matter of fact, I do." Her father nodded as he sat across her, clad in a crisp business suit and a warm smile on his face "It will be good to support Yuuki-san's company in his business venture."
"But why me, of all people?" Mugi asked her father with a rather confused expression "Aren't any of your employees more qualified for the task?"
"Perhaps they are." The tall blonde businessman laughed softly "But you see, I need you to test a specific feature for the upcoming game."
"A specific feature?"
"Yes." Kaizo nodded at her before continuing "You see, there is feature within Sword Art Online that allows the player to play musical instruments in-game, like a guitar or a piano."
It was then that it all became clear to Mugi.
"So. you wish me to test it?"
"Yes." Her father nodded with a smile "You can make sure that the feature in question is working like it should. You can even bring your bandmates along, if you want. So, what do you say, Mugi-chan?"
And so with a rather thoughtful smile, Mugi did agree to serve as a beta tester, though she chose not to tell her friends about it. She rather enjoyed adventuring with other players, and found that the music system was working fine. She was just about surprise them during that first day when she logged in...
Looking back, she wished she said no.
Brunhilde kicked her legs to allow a boost of speed as she charged towards [Krogor] without fear. The massive reptile responded by swinging an axe down at the charging Valkyrie. She immediately responded by rolling to the right, landing with a small splash before thrusting her [Lucent Spear] at the monster's exposed leg, causing it to howl in pain.
She did not have any time to celebrate, as she was forced to jump back when the boss swung his massive tail at her. He stomped right after swinging his axes left and right like an enraged beast. Each blow was either evaded, blocked or parried, the latter two actions chipping at her health.
However, Brunhilde didn't give a damn at this point. This creature had hurt her friends, and it was going to pay for what it had done.
"Hah!" She roared as she swung her spear upward after a lengthy engagement, [Krogor's] guard completely bypassed as she yelled out "Switch!"
Kirito, being the most fresh out of the entire party, was the one who responded. He rushed past Brunhilde like a black blue and struck the creature with wide horizontal swing that brought the creature to it's last legs.
"Now!" The black swordsman roared emphatically as every other member rushed at the [Swamp Lord]. Yui and Asuna struck swiftly, the latter striking with several rapid thrusts while Klein and Taiga used more powerful swings to bring the monster to heel.
"Hrraaah!" Mio was the one who ultimately finished the battle, thrusting her katana through the heart, that tell-tale beep and the fact that [Krogor] froze like a statue in the midst of a final, desperate swing the indicator that the beast was dead.
Several seconds later, said beast shattered like glass, it's fragments being carried by the wind.
"We won!" Yui celebrated as she glomped both Kirito and Asuna with enough force to knock them into the ground. The two were visibly embarrassed by this action, but smiled warmly nonetheless when the brunette nuzzled them happily, laughing that bubbly, hearty laugh she was known for. Mio, on the other hand, felt the adrenaline that was fueling her leave, causing her to go on her knees due to the shock.
"Need a hand?"
She looked up to see both Klein and Taiga offering a hand. With a small smile, she reached out with both and her friends grabbed it in kind and helped her to her feet.
"Y'know, holding off a giant alligator while you were crying in a corner wasn't exactly the most ideal way to have fun." Taiga grinned as she teased Mio, who gave her a resounding smack to her head for making fun of her.
"Ow..."
"That's what you get, Baka Ritsu!" Mio crossed her arms in annoyance while glaring at the drummer, who was gingerly nursing her mark.
"Don't be too hard on her, though." Klein smiled as she put a hand on both girl's shoulders "She did tank the boss the entire time, so cut her SOME slack."
"Hey, whose side are you on?!"
At that remark, even Mio, the tsundere "Dangerous Queen", couldn't help but laugh along with Klein. "Thanks, by the way." The blackette said to him with a warm, bashful smile "For, you know..."
"Hey, don't mention it." Klein smiled as he squeezed the hand on her shoulder a little tighter "If I can count the times Kunimitz or HarryOne lost it..."
As the three in the vanguard held their conversation, Asuna, Kirito and Yui couldn't help but smile.
"Say, do you think Mio-chan likes Klein-kun?" the peppy brunette was the first to whisper.
"Hard to say." Asuna put a thoughtful finger on her chin.
"He seems to like her, at least." Kirito interjected with a smile "Time can only tell whether she returns his feelings at this point."
As the they all talked to each other about other matters, Brunhilde watched the gathering with a fond, if not sad, smile.
"Yes..." she thought fondly before walking towards them with crystals in hand "This is how it should be, shouldn't it?"
"Ah, so you found the [Dragon's Eye Sapphire]!"
[John the Jeweller], an NPC found in town and the giver of the quest they had just embarked in, guffawed with joy as he took the time to examine the quest item.
"Yes sir." Mio nodded with a tired smile. Standing behind her was everyone else looking worse for wear. Fighting a giant killer crocodile would do that to you I guess.
"Yes sir, this one's the genuine article!" The slim, wiry man chuckled with as he put the stone back down on the table "I thank you for your services, adventurers!"
"Anytime, sir!" Taiga chuckled, getting into the mood of the game.
"As per your reward..." the jeweller brought out a bag of money, which went into their inventories soon after. "Also, I'd like to give this sapphire to you, fair adventurer." [John] chuckled once more as he handed the [Dragon's Eye Sapphire] to Mio.
"Sir, I couldn't-"
"Oh, but you must!" the NPC insisted as part of his script "I'm sure it will serve you well in the future!"
Seeing that the NPC wasn't going to take no for an answer, Mio reluctantly took the gem. The [Dragon's Eye Sapphire] vanished from her palm the moment it arrived into her inventory.
"And with that, our quest is complete!" Taiga declared triumphantly as she grabbed Brunhilde's hands. To say the latter was lightly surprised would be an accurate statement "Thank you so much for helping us! We'd be dead if it weren't for you!"
"H-Huh?"
"Yeah!" Yui nodded her head in affirmation before glomping said player from behind "Valkyrie-san is cool! She was all like wham! and boom! and-"
"All right, that's enough!"
Both Taiga and Yui were yelping helplessly in pain as Mio yanked them both by the ear.
"When will those two behave themselves?" Asuna sighed as she shook her head. Kirito and Klein just shrugged.
"I-it's fine really." Brunhilde waved them off, giving them a soft smile "It's something I would've done regardless, really..."
With that, she turned on her heel to leave "I really have to go, butit was nice to see you all." she spoke with out turning her back to them before walking out the shop door. Kirito saw it for a fleeting moment, but he couldn't deny it.
He saw tears in her eyes.
"Um, I'll be right back." The Black Swordsman quickly bounded after much to the bewilderment of everyone present.
"Kirito-kun..." Asuna murmured to herself after seeing those tears too.
"I can't..."
Brunhilde clenched her fists as she walked down the street in a less populated part of town at a brisk pace. Her graceful visage was contorted in an expression of anguish, her fists clenched so tightly that it would've drawn blood in real life "I just can't...not after what I've done..."
"So, I was right."
The blonde lancer turned to see Kirito leaning on one of the buildings with his arms crossed, his demeanor calm as he spoke to the Valkyrie.
"W-what...what are you talking about, Kirito-san?"
"You knew them IRL, didn't you?"
The way she fidgeted and looked at the ground, Kirito thought that she was going to clam up and not answer him. He was surprised, then, that she immediately spoke up.
"Yes. Yes I did." Brunhilde spoke in a tone that conveyed her anguish "Mio, Yui and Taiga...they were my best friends, and we were in a band back in the real world."
"I see..." The swordsman nodded sagely, taking in what she said before coming up with this next question "Why didn't you say anything earlier? They would've loved to see their best friend alive and well."
"Because it's not what I deserve."
Seeing his puzzled expression, Brunhilde fired away "I...I was the one who invited them here. I was the one who got them copies of this accursed game." she spoke with noticeable bitterness "If I didn't...If I didn't, they wouldn't be trapped in this hell with me! That way, I can at least live with the knowledge that they're safe!"
In anguish she whipped her head at Kirito's direction, who noticed that her eyes were filled with sorrow and self-loathing. "I should be the one suffering for my mistakes, not them!"
For a moment, a tense silence fell upon them
"They..." Kirito spoke first "They mean a lot to you, don't they?"
"More than you'll ever know, Kirito-san. That's why...that's why I can't face them. Not until this game is cleared."
Brunhilde opened her menu and scrolled through it. In an instant, her helmet vanished into her inventory, revealing her face to a player for the first time.
"Thank you for listening, Kirito-san." she said as she faced Kirito. He saw her ocean-blue eyes for the first time, among other features; she had a button nose and round cheeks as pale as moonlight. Her long blonde hair flowed freely as it cascaded down her back. She also had rather thick eyebrows, but they did nothing to detract from that foreign beauty she aired.
"I...remember you..." Kirito managed to stammer out. He definitely remembered seeing her in the beta. If memory served him right, she was the one often playing piano in the inns.
"Good to know that." She smiled as she pulled out a cloak that covered her entire body from her inventory "Before I depart, I have one last thing to say."
When she looked Kirito dead in the eye, he saw that intensity when she fights as the Valkyrie show once again.
"There will come a day when, despite all your efforts, you will fail to protect the person most precious to you." she spoke in a slow, deliberate pace that remained calm "When that happens, remember what we've spoken of here. And please, don't tell them you saw me."
With a last nod, she turned her back to him and walked away. As he let her words sink in, he silently promised himself that he would make sure that Brunhilde would one day have the courage to confront her friends.
Should they all live that long.
End Chapter 9
And, as promised, a new chapter dawns upon ye!
Asuna: Wow, King of Beasts is working much faster than usual.
Kirito: Must be because he has all this free time now.
Yes, yes I do! Anyways, not much to say here except that it's pretty obvious who Brunhilde is by now. I mean, I did not state her RL name, but I didn't think I needed to!
Asuna: As usual, leave a review after reading! It keeps him inspired-
Kirito: And keeps Mordred out of his hair too.
Well said! Anyways, I shall see you all in the next chapter! Kirito and Asuna?
Kirito & Asuna: Next time on K-Online!: The Quarter Mile!