Chapter 4: Two Elbows

October 24, 2023 - 13 months ago.

Seijirou Kikuoka inspected the contents of the thin folder that was on his desk, then he pressed his mic. "Nurse, please send in Mrs. Yamashita."

A woman who appeared to be in her late twenties walked in. She had a slender build and wore a simple dress. Her brown hair was in a pageboy cut, with one side held back with a hairclip. Despite her unassuming physical appearance she carried herself with an air of authority and self-confidence.

Kikuoka stood and greeted the former leader of The Golden Apple Guild. "Thank you for coming, Mrs. Yamashita. Please, have a seat." She sat in the offered chair. He asked graciously, "Would you like some tea?"

Her demeanor was pleasant and businesslike. "No thank you. I am glad I was able to finally get this visit. I have a lot of questions to ask you, if you don't mind."

Kikuoka sat down behind his desk. "No doubt. We have some questions for you as well. Perhaps during this interview you and I might find the answers together?"

"Yes. I am at your disposal, Mr. Kikuoka. You have my full cooperation."

"Excellent. Let's see here..." He opened the folder and scanned it. "Your name is Yuuko Yamashita. You live in a small apartment in Kyoto with your husband, Takeshi Yamashita, age 31. No children. Is that correct?"

"Correct. They told me that my husband is still trapped inside the game?"

"Yes. I am sorry." Kikuoka closed the dossier. "We have almost no information on Mr. Yamashita. How is he fairing?"

She looked down. "My husband is not doing well, I am afraid."

"I am sorry to hear that."

She sighed, "To be honest, he is terrified of the game. He hides it well, and he puts up a brave front for the others in our guild, always smiling and cheerful. You see, our guild is not officially part of the front-line Clearers, but we try to do what we can. That means we fight a lot of battles. I try to protect him."

"That is very commendable of you. So, you decided to play SAO together?"

"It was his idea, not mine. I very much disliked those VR games."

"Then why you did agree to play it with him?"

"He is my husband. I am a Japanese housewife. "

Kikuoka understood.

She went on. "Still, I begged him to not make me play it. I told him that I would be a terrible player, that I would just hold him back, but he had insisted we play together. His plan was for us to get married in the game and then he wanted to..." She looked down with some embarrassment. "He wanted to do some 'role play' with me..."

Kikuoka raised his hand. "I understand; you needn't go on." He checked his notes. "I received your psychological test results a few minutes ago. I must say, based on your pre-SAO dossier you are not the person I had expected to see."

"Yes, I admit my personality has changed."

"Well, we have learned that the game does that. Changes people."

It did, sometimes dramatically. Mrs. Yamashita was a particularly exceptional case. In the game she had become a formidable swordswomen: strong, smart, attractive, and powerful.

According to her pre-SAO profile, Yamashita's Myers-Briggs original personality type was ISFP - someone who was gentle, sensitive, nurturing, and flexible. She was also Type B, meek and passive. And yet in her pre-interview test she had come out with a diametrically opposite personality type: ENTJ - ambitious, strategic, logical, and out-going. She was also now a Type A, a leader - someone who always took the initiative, someone who acted rather than reacted.

Griselda explained her new role in SAO. "I became a real leader. Oh, it was so wonderful! I was making a genuine contribution. I was determined to do whatever I could to help others and to beat the game."

She looked up at the ceiling and sounded wistful. "It was so amazing. I never felt so alive."

"And yet you died."

She looked back down at him and sighed. "Yes. I left my poor Grimlock behind. I expect our guild will likely break up now."

"That is unfortunate."

"Takeshi is probably all alone now. I love him, that poor man, but he was becoming so withdrawn. He needed me so much, but we became distant." She leaned forward. "Please, sir, if you find out anything about my husband or my other guild members, will you let me know right away?"

"Of course, Mrs. Yamashita."

He adjusted his eyeglasses. "Let's move on. We have no information about your death. Could you please tell us what happened to you?"

She looked down. "I'm not exactly sure..."

"Go on."

She tried to gather her thoughts. "I was staying alone at an inn near the front lines. I was waiting for an appointment with a pawn shop owner to cash in a powerful ring that our guild had found, a +20 Ring of Agility. We took a vote and decided to sell it. I was sleeping in my room at the inn. Then.. I simply woke up in a medical bed. I don't know what happened. I've been trying to wrack my brain but I just can't remember." It was because the death trauma always erased the final moments before death.

Kikuoka frowned. Something didn't add up. "You died inside an inn? How is that possible?"

She jumped up. "I know! The town was a safe zone! Inns especially. The doors are supposed to be secure. I made sure mine was locked. It makes no sense!"

Kikuoka mused thoughtfully, "It must have been someone with a very high level who could get past a locked inn door. A master thief perhaps?"

"I suppose. But killing me should still have been impossible. I was inside an inn, a safe area. How did they do it?"

"Hmm. Excellent question."

A few minutes later the interview ended. Kikuoka stood up. "Thank you, Mrs. Yamashita. We will continue to investigate and get back to you."

"Thank you sir. I would very much like to know what happened."

"As do I."

December 25, 2023 - 11 months ago

Suguha cautiously opened the door to the private ward. She peeked inside.

Good, she finally went home.

She could see Kazuto in his medical gel bed in his usual state. She went inside. Nobody else was present.

Midori's framed 5x7 family photo was on the nightstand in its usual position, with Suguha, Kazuto, and her parents beaming at the camera. Kazuto had placed his fingers behind Suguha in a 'V' to give her rabbit ears. The birthday cards he received from October were also there. Suguha noticed a vase with some red Christmas poinsettias in it, which was new.

She looked at the vase and wondered who put it there. Was it from her mom? Or from Little Miss Perfect? She guessed it was most likely from her mom, as sending flowers was something an occasional visitor might do, not a daily visitor, and LMP was there practically every day. Besides, she knew that whenever LMP got anyone flowers they had always come from her garden.

Suguha noticed that there was a small card attached to the red Christmas flowers, affixed to one of the stems inside the vase just above the waterline. It could have been easily overlooked. She got up to close the door, then she went back to the vase and carefully removed the card.

Suguha turned the card over. There was nothing written on it; no name attached.

She sat in her chair and looked at the little card carefully. She noticed it was folded in half with a small piece of cellophane tape.

She used her fingernail to slowly and very carefully peel the tape off while trying hard not to tear the paper it was affixed to. She successfully opened the small card and peered inside. It had only four words written in it.

Merry Christmas.

I'm sorry.

She looked at the card for several moments, then she resealed the cellophane tape. She carefully replaced the card inside the clump of flowers in the same position where she had found it. There would be no evidence that it was ever opened.

She sat back down in her seat. She looked at Kazuto, who was breathing softly with his eyes closed. The WAN and Data LEDs were slowly blinking on the NerveGear helmet.

Yep, she really messed you up, didn't she. She got herself killed, and now you are blaming yourself for it.

Finally she stood up. She moved her hair aside and bent over towards his left ear. She yelled into his ear, "Well, she's alive you idiot! You can move on!"

Of course there was no reaction from the bed.

She clenched her fists. She moved even closer and yelled as loud as she could at the left side of the NerveGear helmet: "SHE IS ALIVE! GET OVER IT!"

She then plopped back into the chair and sighed.

She held his hand gently.

Kazuto... Why were you always so distant with me, but not with her? Was it the game? Did it change you somehow?

I wish I knew what you were thinking right now.

What is the game like for you?

What is it like to play a VRMMO?

There was a knock on the door. She jumped. Did someone hear her outburst? She got up and cautiously opened the door.

She found that it was Shinichi Nagata, a small boy with glasses wearing a long brown coat. He was one of Suguha's classmates at her middle school.

The boy looked a little embarrassed to have caught Suguha in what was obviously a private moment. "Sorry.. I didn't mean to interrupt you.."

"So you overheard me, huh?"

"What? No! I didn't! I mean I didn't try to! Honest!"

Suguha sighed, "It's okay, c'mon in."

"Uhm, maybe I shouldn't..."

"It's nothing. I was just yelling at my brother for being an idiot. Come in."

He hesitated, than he came inside and looked around.

She reassured him, "Don't worry, she's not here."

"She's not?"

"Nope. She was here yesterday until who knows how late. She finally went home this morning and crashed, I think."

The timid boy said, "Yes, well, uhm, this is obviously your personal alone time. Maybe I should go..." He turned to leave.

She rolled her eyes. "Like I said it was nothing. Don't worry, I'm not embarrassed or anything. Get in here."

"I see.. well, okay." He approached. "Uhm, I just wanted to wish Kazuto a Merry Christmas."

"That's great. Here, sit down with me". She patted the seat of the chair next to her.

He looked nervous. "S-Sit with you?"

"Yes. Sit."

"O-Okay." He did as he was ordered.

There was an awkward silence.

Nagata tried to think of something to say to break the ice. He tried to sound non-chalant. "He, uh, looks peaceful."

He cringed at his own insipid remark.

She turned and said, "Hey, he's not dead you dummy."

He turned quickly. "I know that!" He looked down. "I'm sorry. It's just that, uh, I just don't know what to say sometimes. Words are hard for me."

She continued to watch Kazuto's sleeping form.

"Then don't say anything. I am sure that he appreciates us simply being here with him."

"You think?"

"Yeah."

They both looked at Kazuto for several moments.

Finally Suguha whispered to herself. "What's it like in there..."

Nagata turned again. He used the same quiet voice as hers. "You want to find out?"

She turned to face him. "Yes!"

Nagata has happy to oblige. "I can show you."

Suguha looked at him eagerly. "Really? How?"

"Well, there are several other VRMMOs up and running. I play a couple of them myself."

"You do? There are other VRMMOs out there?"

"Oh yeah. They're really fun to play."

She looked back at her step-brother as she spoke. "I'm surprised anyone would still be playing a VRMMO after this."

Nagata said quickly, "Oh they do. Everybody knows that SAO wasn't a death game. Nobody died, so now lots of kids now actually want to get into SAO."

"You're kidding. They do?"

"Yes! Everybody thinks that SAO is really exciting and cool."

She thought a bit. "I can see why. If you knew you couldn't die it would be a real thrill."

"Yeah. These VRMMO games are really fun. And ever since SAO got all that free publicity the other VRMMOs have really taken off."

He chuckled to himself. "Can you imagine what would have happened if everyone had died? Nobody would touch these things in a million years. But since nobody died there's a half dozen competitors up and running. It's a 100 billion yen industry now."

He leaned forward. "So, do you want to play one?"

She kept looking at her step brother. "Yeah. I want to see what it's like."

"Okay! The first one is called ALfheim Online, or ALO for short. I play that one as a Sylph called Recon. The only problem is that I can't fly very well because I get airsick really easy."

Suguha widened her eyes. "Wait, you can fly?"

"Yeah! Everybody can."

To fly...

She turned her chair to face him, temporarily forgetting why she was there.

"Shinichi-kun, I want you to tell me everything you can about that game."

April 19, 2024 - 7 months ago.

Mrs. Kirigaya heard the front door open. She looked up from her tablet in the kitchenette when Sachi let herself in.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Kirigaya!"

"Hello Sachi. How is Kazuto?"

"Oh he's doing very well today. I checked for infections and cleaned the bags again. All clean."

"That's wonderful."

Sachi entered the kitchen. "I brought you some sweets from the shop."

"Oh thank you. A perfect pick me up." She unwrapped a bon mot and bit in to it.

She inspected the open candy wrapper. She looked thoughtful. "You're been so helpful in taking care of my poor Kazuto..."

Sachi said brightly, "Oh, it's nothing really. I just do what I can to help."

Mrs. Kirigaya stood up. She held a chair. "Sachi, can you please sit with me?"

She seated Sachi at the kitchenette table then sat across from her.

Sachi grew concerned. "What is it? Did I do something wrong?"

"Oh no, it's nothing like that." Kazuto's stepmother tried to collect her thoughts.

"You see, Kazuto has always been... distant. With everyone. From me, from Suguha, everybody. He dived into computers..."

Sachi grinned, "Yeah, he's a computer geek, like me."

Midori smiled back. "Like both of us, yes. But I think he was doing that for a different reason."

"Which was?"

Mrs. Kirigaya shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "Well, you see, something happened to him when he was young. It made him want to avoid getting close to anyone. He put up a wall around himself. What happened is very personal for him, and without his permission I cannot..."

Sachi raised her hand. "Please, I don't need to know the details."

Midori leaned forward in earnest. "I am glad you understand. The point is, Sachi, you broke through that wall. You got through to him somehow. In the game he finally found someone to care for, to protect. That is such a huge step for him..."

Sachi looked down. "But all I did was hurt him. I can't imagine what he is feeling now, thinking that he failed to protect me. I'm certain he is blaming himself for letting me die. Then I sent him that awful, awful recording."

"I know. You are probably right about all that. I can't imagine his state now either. But the thing is, you did NOT die. You're alive! And you'll be there to greet him when he wakes up. He will be absolutely overjoyed."

"Yes.. he will."

"And so you will help him with his recovery when he wakes up, of course."

"Yes, I will, but..."

"I know it will be difficult. For all of us. You've done so much for him already. And I know how much you care for him."

Sachi looked down. "It is a debt that I need to repay."

"Actually, I think there is more to it than that."

Sachi looked up again. "What do you mean?"

"Sachi, I've watched you. You are such a wonderful girl, and you have matured so well. You will be by far the best thing in his life when he returns. Now, please don't be embarrassed about this.."

"About what?"

"Well, I know your secret."

"My secret?"

"Yes."

"Which is..?"

"I know that you two were lovers in the game."

"What!? Oh no, Mrs. Kirigaya. We weren't, uh, I mean, we never.. uh, we weren't lovers.."

Mrs. Kirigaya smiled. "Actually, I'm pretty sure you were."

"Oh please, that's silly."

"I talked to Ducker. He told me everything."

Sachi gave out a sigh. "Whatever Ducker said to you, it's not true. I was just a scared, foolish little girl, and, well, okay, I did sleep with him. Wait! No! I mean I didn't sleep with him! I mean, I had to sleep, and I did sleep next to him, but it wasn't what Ducker thinks at all! Kirito was always a perfect gentleman towards me, and..."

Mrs. Kirigaya raised her hand. "I know. I'm sure he was. I believe you and I trust you."

"Then you know our relationship wasn't like.. like that."

"Oh heavens no. You were only 14 back then. And he is a good boy, very responsible."

"Yes, he is. Thank you. I'm glad you understand."

"But you had told me yourself how important he was to you, how close you two had become."

"Well, I suppose I did.."

"And when he wakes up those feelings inside you won't change, right?"

Sachi searched herself. "No, they won't."

"Then it's decided."

The girl looked at her questioningly. "Decided?"

"Sachi, I want to make it official. I want you to consider yourself part of our family."

"What? Mrs. Kirigaya...?"

"I mean that. And please, from now on call me Midori."

"But, oh, I couldn't possibly..."

Midori stood up. "I insist. I know that if anyone is going to save Kazuto, heal him, and bring him home, I know it's going to be you."

Sachi stood as well. "Yes, Mrs. Kiri... I mean yes, Midori. I promise. I will do everything I can to bring him back."

"I know you will." She embraced Sachi.

In their embrace, Sachi looked out the window. "Uh-oh, it looks like rain. I need to go bring in the laundry."

Midori smiled and let go of her embrace. "Go on."

Sachi began to leave.

Midori said behind her, "Don't forget: You are family now."

"I won't forget, and thank you." She left.

Meanwhile, someone silently closed a bedroom door upstairs.

July 2, 2024 - Four months ago.

Suguha was in her room when she heard the front door slam. Then she heard a commotion downstairs. She silently opened her bedroom door to better hear what was going on below.

Sachi was sobbing bitterly. Suguha could hear her mother saying, "Now, now..."

She became increasingly curious. She walked to the stairway railing and watched the pair below.

Her mother was sitting at the kitchenette table with Sachi, who had her head down on the table. Suguha could see Sachi's shoulders heaving up and down between sobs.

Midori was trying to console the distraught girl. "It's all right."

She could hear Sachi's muffled voice. "The rejection letter said..."

Midori patted the girl's head. "I know, dear."

Sachi pulled her head up, her face covered in tears. "They're wrong!"

"I know. You most certainly are not a 'potential threat to yourself or others'."

"And I'm not 'unstable'! Why would people say such things?"

Midori sighed. "Well, the media likes to blow these things out of proportion. It's just to get ratings. Just a handful of bad apples out of thousands, like in that 'Laughing Man' scandal or whatever they were calling it last month."

It was the worst awakening situation ever recorded. A player-killer (PK) guild called the 'Laughing Coffin' was becoming a real problem in the game, so a high level Capture Group (that had included Kirito and Asuna) was formed to arrest and finally send them all to the prison under Floor 1. However, the capture operation was compromised by a spy and it became a major battle. By the end of the battle, 21 Laughing Coffin members and 11 members of the Capture Group were dead.

The awakening of a single high level player was always difficult to handle. It sometimes even caused injuries, but fortunately it was a rare event. Not this time. Eleven delirious high level players had awakened along with 21 Laughing Coffin members who were even worse, and it had caused a major news media event. The LC members and the CG members were soon cross-interviewed as VRDPs by the Ministry of Information's VR unit, and most of the LC members were detained based on the shocking information that had tumbled out of those cross-checked interviews. However, a lawsuit was soon filed, and those not certified by a physician as actually mentally ill were ordered by a judge to be released on their own recognisance. It was because legally they had committed no crimes in the real world, and many of them were minors to boot.

But soon a handful of the former LC guild members had started a crime spree. They were quickly recaptured by the authorities, of course, but by then it was too late. The damage was done. The media accounts were lurid and were broadcast everywhere. The public, who were already somewhat suspicious of the VRDPs in general, had all of their worst fears and prejudices confirmed by the crime group.

And so the VRDPs had an even harder time trying integrate themselves back into society. They became pariahs who were unemployable. Private schools refused enrollments. Nobody wanted them.

As if the VRDPs weren't isolated enough as a group, another side effect of VRDP syndrome was that the awakees tended not to socialize with each other. Nobody was sure why. It was speculated that it might possibly be due to the fact that they were mutually embarrassed or ashamed of their failure to survive the game.

Sachi had not seen any of the other members of the 'Cats since their initial interviews and debriefings (except for Keita). None of them had tried to contact her. She wasn't even sure where they lived now.

Sachi kept crying. "I can't get a job. I have no friends."

Midori said gently. "It's all right. Remember, you have a family now. And family is everything."

Sachi looked up. "Do I? Who? You and who else? I have nobody."

Midori was about to reply when her cell phone chimed. She looked down at it. "Ugh, it's my publisher. I need to to take this call. Look, we'll talk about this more when I'm done. Just make yourself some tea, dear. I'll be back soon." She went downstairs.

Sachi put her head down on the table again.

A couple minutes later she sensed that someone else was now seated at the kitchenette table across from her.

The person spoke. "Wow, you look like crap."

Sachi began to pull her her head up. With her bloodshot eyes she saw Yaya nearby on the floor licking his paw. Then she looked across the table.

It was Suguha.

Sachi had noticed that Suguha had been losing weight. She was also practicing kendo again. More importantly she was now seeing Kazuto regularly. The two girls had an unspoken arrangement for Sachi to quietly leave the ward for at least a two hours each day after Suguha's middle school let out. This had been going on for a couple months now.

Sachi dropped her chin on top her crossed wrists, facing Suguha.

A minute passed in silence. Finally, she spoke what was on the minds of both girls for the past year.

"He's your brother. Tell me to go and I'll go. I won't come back."

Suguha put her own hand under her chin. She looked thoughtful.

"Hmm, no. Besides, Mom would freak out." She made a small smile. "And I like you this way. No offense."

Sachi sighed, "Go ahead. Enjoy it."

"No, what I mean is that you're approachable now. You're not doing your fake Cinderella act."

"Mmm."

After a minute Suguha raised her head. She asked plainly, "Were you lovers? Tell me the truth."

Sachi didn't hesitate in her answer.

"No."

She quickly added, "It was just me trying to get some sleep. I was a stupid scared little girl who crawled into bed with him. We were both too busy trying to survive for anything else."

Suguha kept pressing her. "But he looked at you in bed, right?"

"Uhm, yeah."

"You looked at each other under the covers, side-by-side?"

"Yeah."

"So was he tempted? Did he ever look at you in bed like.. you know what I mean, the way guys look at a girl sometimes...?"

"Uhm.. well.." She got frustrated. "I don't know! Those eyes were caring, yes, loving, yes, protective, yes, but greedy?, no, lustful?, no, desireful?, no, ... what more do you want me to say? I'm not a mind reader! How could I know?"

"And you fought together, side-by-side, fighting for your lives."

Sachi pulled her head up from her chin. She smiled at the memory. "Oh yes. Looking back now, it was.. exhilarating. When I fought that praying mantis with him, wow, it was a head rush. A total head rush. Afterwards we were both panting, sweaty, and grinning at each other like total idiots."

Suguha looked up wistfully. "Yeah, I know what you mean. There is no feeling quite like that..."

Sachi was surprised. Huh? What is she talking about?

"... and you really bond over that..."

"Yeah."

"Ok, fine. So tell me, what were your feelings?"

"What..?"

"Tell me straight. Did you love him?"

And there it was. The big question. The one question she was never directly asked until now.

Sachi knew that Suguha deserved an answer, and an honest one.

She had to think hard. "I had feelings... I had feelings... of terror, of fear, of wanting safety, of being protected, of being cared for..."

Finally she told her. "Yes. I did."

Then she quickly added, "But it was the way a 14 year old girl would love anyone who protected her like that: basic, undeveloped, primal, for survival. Not romantic. Maybe eventually? I don't know."

She looked up. "Suguha, am I making sense?"

"Hmm. Yeah."

I was drowning, and he saved me. The feelings I felt... Yes. I know where she's coming from.

Suguha's smile grew. "You know, I think I'm starting to understand you."

Sachi smiled back. "Thanks. I'm glad."

Suguha got up from the table.

"But you're still not my sister. And we are not family."

"But... can we at least be friends?" Sachi waited apprehensively for her answer.

Suguha shook her head. "No, not yet."

Then she added, "But, Sachi, you know what?"

"What?"

"We don't have to be enemies anymore." Suguha put out her elbow.

Sachi got up too. Her tears were drying.

"Okay. I'll take it."

Their elbows touched.

A/N:

I forgot Suguha, shoot me! I had made a huge blunder in this story in assuming that when dealing with a Sachi-Kirito-Asuna triangle that Suguha could be dispensed with as a minor character. Ijustwannahelp and his pals really straightened me out on how wrong I was. Suguha is actually the most complex character in SAO Season 1, and her relationship is actually deeper and more nuanced with Kazuto than anyone else in the story.

So until Asuna gets going in this story - which by plot necessity cannot happen until fairly late (unless I drastically shorten ALO) - the tension isn't actually Asuna-Sachi. The tension is really Suguha-Sachi. Boy, how did I miss that? I added Suguha to the character summary.

As always, thank you for reading.
-HuuskerDu