Chapter 6: Holding Hands
"Break right!"
"Break left!"
The Sylphs broke formation. Two zoomed upward while the third flew straight on. The latter turned his head and watched in silent admiration as the first two separated and soared upwards in the darkening sky, twirling as they went. Tiny motes of light shed from their gossamer wings like glowing embers, glittering in the light of the large blue moon that was rising in the eastern sky.
The third one sighed as he watched the two females, then he turned and continued on a straight-line course.
The creature that had been pursuing the trio hesitated. It saw the green Sylph directly ahead of him, but then it turned and went after the smaller one that was climbing up and left. At first it had been hoping to catch the much tastier looking one on the right, but after the nasty slash that it had received across its flank from the larger one's katana followed by a volley of green needles, it decided that it was better to go after the smaller meal.
The smaller Sylph turned her head and became annoyed as she saw the creature climbing up after her.
You're supposed to follow Recon, dummy.
The smaller one doubled back and zoomed toward the creature. As she did so she used her closed fist to rap it smartly on the snout while yelling a taunt. The creature emitted a frustrated yowl and turned to follow her back down.
The creature was a sand wyrm, a medium sized male. Sand wyrms lived in the Desert Wastes in Salamander territory. For some reason they were recently leaving their natural habitat in the Desert Wastes and had begun entering the Ancient Forest in adjacent Sylph territory. It was rather unusual for them to venture away from their native habitat and leave behind their natural prey like that - the dust bunnies and sand hogs that lived in the Desert. They were much easier to spot from the air compared to the dark and hidden creatures that lurked in the Forest below.
This was the fifth sand wyrm that Leafa, Sachi, and Recon had encountered during the past several days. Lady Sakuya, with Sigurd's help, had organized the hunting parties to eradicate the beasts from her territory.
Sachi quickly caught up with Recon at the lower altitude. "Dang it, I got chased again. When it catches up I'll ditch it and we'll re-do the dive."
The boy grinned, "That's the third time one chased you."
Sachi shrugged, "I guess they just like me?"
"Then they're stupid idiots."
It was because, in all the weeks that Sachi and Leafa had been flying together on missions, repelling Salamander incursions, chasing Spriggan thieves, and going on creature hunts like this one, Sachi had not been hit even once. Trying to catch her was like Wile E. Coyote trying trying to catch the Road Runner. She was untouchable.
Naturally, Leafa and Sachi raced each other. Previously, Leafa had been nicknamed 'Speedaholic' because she could out-fly anyone in a straight race. She could beat Sachi too, but with Sachi's smaller mass and better agility she had often won shorter sprints or races that involved lots of intricate zig-zagging. The two girls had laughed and whooped as they weaved in and out of the massive tree trunks in the Ancient Forest while trying to out-fly each other.
Sachi looked up. She could just make out Leafa high in the air. She could see that Leafa was now floating in a stationary upright position with her hands on her hips. It was probably because she was feeling annoyed at the delay.
"Recon, slow down. Let it catch up."
They slowed down to about 40 KPH to allow the wyrm to get closer. When the creature was 10 meters behind them, Sachi turned and zoomed directly at it. She was a green blur as the creature snapped its jaws in a futile gesture to try to bite the Sylph that was already behind it.
Sachi then pulled an Immelmann maneuver: She flew right along the dorsal side of the wyrm and past its still-snapping jaws while arcing up in front of it, inverted. In a smooth continuous motion she did a U-turn and barrel roll. As she flew toward it again, she whacked it on the snout a second time and flew away.
Sheesh, give it up. Stop wasting your time with me.
The wyrm decided it had enough. It turned and moved towards Recon.
Finally.
Sachi flew up again to rejoin Leafa at the higher altitude. The senior Sylph removed her hands from her hips and resumed her own upward trajectory.
Together they zoomed upward, going higher and higher, flying thousands of meters up into the air, right up to the limit of their mutual ability.
At their flight ceiling they looked down. The target far below was like a small brown 'T' silhouetted against the green forest canopy.
Leafa and Sachi were floating next to each other and panting hard. The bigger Sylph turned and asked the smaller one, "You ready?"
"Yeah. Let's do the delta."
Leafa began to cast the spell Protection From Falls on both of them. Soon a softly glowing light enveloped each of them.
The pair closed their eyes. They began to concentrate. Nothing seemed to happen at first, but after a few moments their wings began to subtly shift and slowly sweep back. Eventually the wings converted themselves into a tight delta shape like the wings of an F-15 fighter jet pulling in just before going supersonic.
Finally, they opened her eyes. Sachi looked down and said calmly, "Target acquired."
Leafa made a nasty grin. "I so love this part." She turned to her partner, "Sachi, you're a genius."
Sachi was self deprecating. "Oh, it was nothing. Once I figured out that Protection From Falls was basically just an inertial dampening spell with a shield component, the rest was easy. Anyone could have thought of it."
They rotated head down and pulled their arms in tight against their bodies. Leafa's eyes glittered as she watched her target below.
"Let's do it. Diiiiiiive!"
They accelerated downward, going faster and faster, building up their kinentic momentum.
The SIMD GPUs in their AmuSphere helmets grew warm as the processors furiously computed the complex aerodynamics. The processors soon detected that the wings were exceeding the spec limit on the maximum airspeed for their design.
At this point the processors would normally have flagged for exceeding max-Q (maximum aerodynamic pressure), which would have sent the pair tumbling out of the sky with significant tearing and damage to their wings. But the processors ran the Navier-Stokes equations on the shape of their delta wings, which were now more like arrow feathers or missle guide fins, and after a half second the SIMD engines had completed their analysis: the airflow was laminar and non-turbulent.
They gave a green light.
The pair rocketed down.
Recon had spotted the start of their kinetic dive and was already quickly flying out of the way. He didn't want to get splattered like he did the first time. Sachi had been surprised at how large the radius of the shockwave had been, and both girls had apologized profusely to the boy when they finally rejoined him back at Swilvane.
Recon flew as fast and as far as he could away from ground zero, then he closed his eyes and covered his ears while curling into a ball.
Sheesh. Putting those two together in the same VRMMO is the worst idea ever.
The sonic boom rattled his teeth as it thundered across the hills.
It was night. Leafa and Sachi were sitting together at the campfire. They had just finished cooking marshmallows for 'smores. The large golden-blue moon loomed high the sky.
Recon had fallen asleep in the tent and his AmuSphere halo had automatically logged him out. It was because he was completely exhausted after having helped clean up from the aftermath of Sachi and Leafa's huge kinetic explosion above the forest canopy.
Sachi pulled the last marshmallow off her stick, then she poked the fire. "We should have coaxed that target higher."
Leafa spoke through a mouthful of graham crackers, chocolate, and white goo. "I didn't know a shockwave like that could start fires."
"Neither did I."
"We put 'em out though."
Some graham crumbs fell down Leafa's front and onto her green and white battle dress. "Sakuya is still gonna call us on the carpet for all those flattened trees though."
It was because together they had created a ring of arboreal devastation that had covered almost a square half kilometer.
"Probably."
They watched the campfire some more.
"That was fun."
"Yeah."
"We gotta do it again."
"Oh yeah."
The two Sylphs were sitting side by side, their shoulders touching. Sachi became conscious of their close physical proximity but it didn't bother her. It was because she knew that back in Saitama they were still in Suguha's bedroom laying side-by-side on her double bed wearing their AmuSphere visors.
The first time Sachi had dived with Suguha she felt very nervous, so Suguha offered to hold her hand when they went under.
Sachi had marvelled at the experience.
She was a natural flyer, and she dispensed with the hand control on her second attempt. She even managed a loop-the-loop that second time, although she had crashed on the landing. She had sat up in the grass and rubbed her head, "Ouch."
Leafa was worried and had run up to check on her, but she seemed fine. Sachi jumped up to try again. After three hours Suguha decided they had enough for the first day and she logged them out despite Sachi's plea to let them stay longer.
After Sachi woke up from her first exhilarating dive in ALfheim Online she turned to Suguha and tightened her clasp on the other girl's hand. She said softly, "Thank you."
Suguha smiled back at her.
From that day on they always held hands whenever they dived in together.
For the first couple weeks they had dived in almost every day after Suguha got home from school. Sachi adjusted her volunteering schedule at the hospital to compensate. She moved her volunteering hours from late afternoons and evenings to mornings and early afternoons.
Midori came home from work late the next night and checked on her daughter. She was pleasantly surprised to see the pair laying together side-by-side, the WAN and Data lights blinking on their headsets, their hands held together.
Once the pair had dived in too long for Sachi to go home safely by herself so late at night. Sachi had offered to sleep downstairs on the couch but Suguha would have none of it.
It happened again on another night after a second too-long raid. That night Midori had quietly entered Suguha's bedroom around 4 a.m. and used her smartphone to sneak a photo of them sleeping together, facing each other in the fetal position, snoring softly, with their foreheads touching.
They are so adorable together.
Sachi and Leafa were each laying along their sides across the campfire from each other. The embers of the fire were slowly diminishing and the coals took on a ruby glow.
They sat in silence as the flames began to sink into the glowing coals.
Leafa shifted her eyes toward Sachi and studied her surreptitiously. Meanwhile, the petite girl seemed lost in her own world, staring at the fire in silent contemplation.
Suguha thought it was remarkable that Sachi's face and body in her Sylph form looked so similar to her appearance in real life. ALfheim Online was suppose to assign avatars randomly. Suguha herself had to regenerate her character about a dozen times (and pay a considerable amount of yen in fees) until she got the form she wanted, and yet Sachi got hers the first time.
In her avatar form, Sachi's face looked much like her face in the real world but with more maturity. The birthmark below her right eye was gone. She had the green eyes and the long ears of a Sylph, and her luscious dark green hair rolled down to the small of her back.
Leafa could see that her small body was sleek and trim and built for speed. In the real world Sachi had usually worn long baggy sweaters or loose fitting blouses to hide her figure, but not here. Her green and blue leotard was skintight and it flattered her figure wonderfully. Below the leotard she wore a slitted dark green skirt over long light blue nylons and ballerina slippers. On her back her graceful wings were long and narrow, built for agility and speed.
With the tight fitting outfit Leafa could see that her figure was actually quite graceful and slender, with her bust and hips proportioned like that of a dancer or a ballerina. In the real world Sachi was still too thin, but that was probably due to her earlier bout of depression. Suguha suspected that the form of the pretty girl now laying before her was close to the way her real figure would look about a year from now.
She remembered when Sachi's avatar appeared in front of her on that first day. She was stunned at the transformation of a girl that she had thought was meek and rather mousy into the pretty winged angel that stood proudly before her. For some reason it had hit her in the pit of her stomach. Meanwhile Sachi had stared back at Leafa in return.
They both had continued to goggle at each other's avatars for several moments. Eventually Suguha recovered first.
Leafa did a modeling pose. "You like it? It's just like on the poster on the ceiling."
Sachi continued to stare in mute appreciation at the senior Sylph. Leafa was quite tall for a Sylph female, and well endowed, with powerful legs and large wings that were built for raw acceleration. Her long blond hair was held by a flower-shaped hairpiece in the back that created a ponytail effect that extended well down her back.
Leafa asked impatiently, "Well?"
Finally Sachi said softly, "Wow. Suguha, you look so beautiful."
That's better. Yeah, my avatar is definitely way hotter than yours.
Leafa then said testily. "Hey, always call me Leafa in here, not Suguha. Look, my name is floating just above my life bar, see? Never say my real name in here."
"Oh, I'm sorry."
Leafa checked the life bar that was floating above Sachi's own head. The name on it read: 'Sachi'.
Leafa crossed her arms. "Hey! You used your real name again. Go back and pick a different handle!"
"But I always use my real name when I play video games."
"I don't care. Go back and fix it. You don't want people in here to know who you are in real life."
Sachi protested, "But I don't care if they do. Besides, I like this avatar. If I roll a new character I'll lose it."
Leafa sighed, "Okay, fine."
She approached Sachi. "Let's get you started. First, pull out your flight controller and I'll show you how it works. The flight controller is based on motion sensors and uses..."
"Well? Leafa? What do you think?"
Leafa blinked her eyes. She was still sprawled out in front of the campfire. She shook her head to break herself out of her reverie. She saw that Sachi was now sitting up and looking at her expectantly.
"I'm sorry, Sachi. My mind drifted off. What were you saying again?"
Sachi looked down. "Never mind." She picked up a stick and poked the campfire again.
Dang it. It was probably something important.
Leafa sat up. "I'm really sorry. What did you want to talk to me about again?"
"It was nothing."
More time passed. It was getting late, and both girls knew they needed to log out soon if Sachi was going to be able to go home that night.
But they both stayed.
Leafa understood. She picked up her own stick and swirled the glowing coals around a bit.
More time passed. The fire continued to crackle.
Finally Sachi spoke what was on both their minds.
She sighed, "His face."
Leafa understood. "Yeah. I've seen it. Mom too."
During the past two months Kazuto's face had become noticeably more gaunt, with his cheekbones starting to show. His closed eye sockets were also starting to sink in.
"Mom hasn't said anything yet."
For some odd reason the two girls could only talk to each other about such delicate matters while jacked into the game. It was as if the game created some kind of buffer that made it possible for them to confide in each other in ways they still could not do in real life. They were in fact laying side-by-side in bed right at that moment, and they could easily log out and just talk to each other face to face.
Sachi picked up a stick and threw it into into the fire. "I don't understand it. I've been checking his IV line, looking at the labels on his glucose and lactate bags, and reading his chart. I know he's getting enough nutrition."
"You talked to the doctors too?"
"Yeah. They say it just happens sometimes. When a coma goes on for years, sometimes the body just starts to eventually break down. Nobody knows why. The nurses told me that it is starting to happen to some of the other SAO victims too."
More silence.
"Sachi... did you ask the doctor.. how.. how long?"
Sachi continued to stare at the fire and didn't respond.
"Please, tell me. Mom won't talk to me about it. I know you got a health information waiver to see his medical records."
Finally Sachi looked up at her.
"They said six months, maybe less."
Leafa/Suguha picked up a rock and threw it as hard as she could. "Argh! They have to get him out of there!"
Sachi leaned forward. "Suguha, believe me, Mr. Kikuoka is working on it. He said that as soon as they find where Kayaba is hiding that the SAO players will be released. He thinks Kayaba won't kill them if he gets caught. He hasn't killed anyone yet, so I don't think he'll start doing it now. And I don't think he will just let them waste away and die either."
The blond Sylph ignored Sachi's use of her real name. "Then.. you think Kazuto will be out soon? Really?"
"I think so, yes. One way or another."
Leafa/Suguha was thinking hard. "We need to be ready when he wakes up. We need a plan..."
Now it was Sachi's turn to jump up. "What do think I've been doing these past 16 months!? Knitting socks? Of course I have a plan!"
"Ssh.. sit down."
Sachi sat back down. She hissed, "Suguha, of course I have a plan."
"No, I said *we* need a plan. You and me."
Sachi studied her face.
Is she serious?
We've been palling around ALO like best buddies for weeks now, but that's just in the game, right?
Does she mean..?
I have to ask.
"Are.. are you trusting me now?"
Suguha's face remained blank. Meanwhile she thought furiously.
Oh, why did she have to ask me that? I really do like her, but I can't lie to her either. Do I trust her? Argh... how can I answer that question?
Suguha tried to distract her. "Hey, call me Sugu. I mean, you know, not here." She waved her hand around. "Here I'm Leafa. But you can call me Sugu at home."
Sachi searched her green eyes. Finally she said softly, "We're friends?"
Leafa squirmed a bit. "Well.. I think you're really nice, and you're smart, and you really care for Kazuto, and you're a kick-butt flyer, and we make a super flying team, and, and... well.."
Finally Leafa said, "Okay, yes. Here in the game, yeah. We are friends now."
"But out there.."
The blond Sylph looked at her with pleading eyes. "Sachi, well, I..."
"Please. Be honest with me."
Leafa looked down. "I am. Look, I want to. I really do. I do like you, I mean as a person. That's the honest truth. But, well, this is Kazuto we are talking about. He's my brother. And I... it's just that.."
"You feel really protective of him..."
"Yeah."
"... and you love him.." To Suguha it sounded more like a question than a statement.
She looked at Sachi incredulously.
"Well, of course I do! He's my brother. Why would you ask me something like that?"
"Of course. I'm sorry if that sounded like a question.."
Sachi then watched her in silence. It unnerved Suguha.
Those eyes again. They scare me sometimes. It's like she is.. judging me?
What the heck? Is she thinking that *I* am not good enough for him?
Dang it! Where does she get off thinking that way! She's a stranger! He's my brother!
He's my.. brother..
Leafa pulled her eyes away. Sachi eventually did too.
They sat cross-legged in the dirt for minutes in silence while averting their eyes from each other.
It was Sachi who finally broke the impasse. She turned back to face Leafa.
"You don't trust me."
Leafa looked up at her. "Well, it's like.. I mean, I like you, Sachi, I really do, and I know you would never intentionally hurt Kazuto, but..."
"But."
"But, well, you're a, you know, a VRDP and all, and..."
"I know, it's okay."
"I'm sorry. Look, like I said he's my brother, and.."
"I said it's okay. I understand."
More silence.
Meanwhile Sachi was studying her again carefully.
Ugh, those eyes. Sachi really unnerves me when she's like this.
Sachi continued to study her.
You don't trust me? Well, Suguha, you are holding back something too, something about you and Kirito. I can feel it.
Leafa shifted her legs uncomfortably under the watchful eyes of the VRDP survivor.
And until you come clean with me, Suguha, and tell me the secret you are hiding...
She averted her eyes from Sachi's hawk-like gaze.
... I don't trust you either.
October 28, 2024.
Three folders were laying on Seijirou Kikuoka's desk. One was considerably thicker than the other two. He set aside the thick one and picked up one of the thin ones. He reviewed it, then he briefly scanned the other one.
He nodded to himself and stood up. As he did so he straightened his tie and buttoned up his suit, brushing it off with his hand. He knew that this could be an important interview.
He pushed the mic. "Nurse, please send him in."
The door hissed and slid open. The door was freshly painted and re-enforced with steel, replacing the one that was kicked apart during the unfortunate incident that happened the previous week. The authorities had still not managed to locate the escaped Laughing Coffin member.
After a moment, a small and unassuming man in his early twenties came through the open doorway. With his round face and bulbous nose he looked like a stereotypical otaku. He seemed nervous.
Kikuoka greeted the man warmly and sat him in the offered chair, then he sat down in his own chair and adjusted his eyeglasses as he put aside the dossiers.
The big nosed otaku brought out a little toy from his pocket. It was about 4 or 5 centimeters across and made of plastic, with three lobes mounted on a central rotating axis and with a finger hole in each lobe. He started to absently spin it as he sat.
Kikuoka ignored the spinner. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Sugimoto. I know you are still in recovery so I appreciate the fact that you are willing to be interviewed like this so soon after your revival. Would you like some tea?"
"Uh, no thanks. They said you really needed to see me right away. Am I in trouble? Did I do something wrong in the game?"
"Oh no, Mr. Sugimoto, not at all. I just need to ask you some questions, that's all."
"Okay, uh, sure, whatever you want." He kept twirling his fidget spinner.
"Very good. Let's dive in, shall we? Your name is Hikari Sugimoto, age 23, single. You were a former member of the Furin Kazan guild, led by a man with the handle 'Klein'. Is that correct?"
"Yes sir."
"During your initial debriefing you had told the caseworker that when you were still a member of that guild that you and your party had met the Black Swordsman on Floor 74."
"Yes sir, we did."
"And you said that he was with a female sword fighter."
"Yes sir. It looked like they were working together."
"So you claimed. Are you sure about that?"
"Yeah. They were definitely teamed up."
"And how do you know that?"
"Simple. He said so."
Kikuoka was surprised. He stood up. "What? He did?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Are you sure?"
The man stopped twirling his fidget spinner and started to grin. "Oh yeah. I'll never forget it. He introduced his partner to us and, wow, she was hot. Klein is really brave and all, a great guy, and we all look up to him, and usually he's really laid back and chill, but when we were introduced to that girl, he just froze. Then he started babbling like a high school sophomore trying to ask the prom queen for a date, heh."
"Nevermind that. What did the Black Swordsman say about her? Did he give a name?"
"Oh yeah. He introduced her as Asuna, one of the members of the Knights of the Blood Oath. Most of us already heard of her, the hottie ice queen. I never saw her before. Man, she's a looker. What a bod, great hair..."
Kikuoka waved his hand to stop him. "Yes, yes, I'm sure. Now, please, just stop. Back up. Are you sure it was Asuna and not someone else?"
"Well, I don't know what she is supposed to look like. We don't have television or magazines down there, you know. But I knew her rep, and the girl fit the description I heard. She was wearing the KoBO livery and had the red hair."
"Did she speak at all?"
"Uh, yeah. She said that she was working with the Black Swordsman."
"Wait a moment please. I need to check my computer." The intelligence officer's hands flew at high speed on the keyboard. Several screens of text popped up. There were no pictures on the display except for a single image of a girl in a medical gel bed with red hair wearing a NerveGear helmet.
He started mumbling to himself. "Hmm.. Doesn't fit our theories.. she is a real person, so she can't be Kayaba.. maybe a doppleganger..?"
Sugimoto then explained what happened in the boss fight on Floor 74. Over the next few hours Kikuoka proceeded to ask him many more questions about Kirito and Asuna and their fight with Gleam Eyes. After that he went back with Sugimoto and carefully walked through the whole incident a second time. Then they went through it all yet again.
Eventually it was evening.
Kikuoka stood. "Well, thank you Mr. Sugimoto. You're been extremely helpful. We'll keep in touch."
"Phew, I'm bushed. Glad to be of help." He stood up as well. Then he added "Uh, I heard you say Kayaba's name earlier. You think that's him? Some guys do that, you know, pretend to be a girl online.."
"I am sorry, but I am not at liberty to discuss it. Thank you again, and please stay in touch with us." Kikuoka escorted him out.
Kikuoka was now alone in the interview office. He sat back down, then he looked at the image of the girl wearing the helmet.
He started tapping his pencil.
It was common for different high level players from different guilds to work together during a boss fight. Kirito had done it several times. Was Asuna just a temporary hook-up to take on Gleam Eyes? But such fights always involved several high level players, not just two.
Kikuoka's theory was that Kayaba would want to play the game himself. He would eventually sidle up to Kirito and become his partner. They would fight together during the rest of the game as a two-person team. Eventually, at a dramatic moment around Floor 95 or so, Kayaba would alter his avatar and reveal himself to Kirito in his real form. He would gloat and shame Kirito to maximize his anger and stoke his desire to beat the game, then he would challenge Kirito as the Final Boss on Floor 100.
The pair did take out the creature all by themselves. That was incredible. Or did Kirito just get lucky?
No, with Kayaba there was no such thing as luck. That dual-wielding sword skill was nowhere in the game's specs, nor was it in the interview database. How did Kirito manage to suddenly whip out that impressive and unique skill? Kayaba must have somehow given it to him to ensure the win.
Asuna and Kirito playing as a duo fit the theory perfectly, and Kayaba pretending to be a girl would make the final reveal all the more shocking.
The key question was whether or not Kirito and Asuna were working together long term. If they were, Kikuoka thought, then that girl definitely had to be Kayaba. Kayaba could easily use the short-duration microwave beam to put the real girl into a reversible coma and send fake signals to the helmet LEDs to simulate brain activity, then take her place.
But why that girl? Why use her? Kikuoka looked at the image again. Yes, she was quite beautiful. She would be very noticeable, particularly to all those gaming otakus who lived in their parents' basements. The members of the Furin Kazin guild all knew her by reputation, although without the conveniences of modern television and magazines they didn't know what she actually looked like.
It made perfect sense. Kirito's partner would be flashy and well known. His partner being a beautiful girl would make that person even more notorious to everyone.
Kikuoka wanted to know more about their personal relationship. Based on Sugimoto's statement it seemed like they were strictly combat partners. That also fit.
Kayaba had to be Asuna.
He tapped his pencil some more.
It had to be her... But wait, maybe...
He needed to be sure. He pushed his mic.
"Nurse, please contact Miss Watanabe and tell her that I need to see her as soon as possible."
October 29, 2024.
Kikuoka waited for the steel door to slide open, then he graciously greeted his favorite interviewee.
"Miss Watanabe, good morning! Please come in. I have your tea ready."
"Good morning sir, and thank you." She sat and picked up the teacup.
Kikuoka resumed his seat. "Are you comfortable? Is there anything else I can get you?"
"No, this is fine, thank so you much." She took a sip of tea. "You said you needed to see me right away?"
He drummed his fingers on his desk.
"Yes. Some new information came in..."
Sachi noticed that something seemed to be on his mind. "I see. How can I help?"
"Well, there's been some new developments. I've been up all night running cross checks. At first I thought we had something..."
"And now?"
"Well, now I'm not so sure..."
The previous night Kikuoka had scoured the Ministry of Information's SAO Incident databases for any and all information regarding Asuna Yuuki. He stayed up all night pouring through endless reports and interview transcripts. There were almost a thousand pages worth of material on her - various items that had referenced her either directly or indirectly. Asuna was very active in the game and had participated with many individuals on many floors.
The problem was that it seemed that Asuna and Kirito might have had crossed paths before. Possibly several times. There were many offhand mentions of their being on the same floor or in the same town. It happened too many times to be a coincidence. The information was frustratingly sketchy, and nothing was definite, but if they had several prior interactions - and it was starting to look that way, even going back as far as 2022 - it would weigh strongly against his theory about Kayaba. It was because Kayaba would have had no personal interest in Kirito back then.
Kikuoka knew that one way to disprove his theory would be if Kirito and Asuna had any sort of serious committed romantic relationship - for example if they were, say, living together or sleeping together. Kayaba was asexual.
"Miss Watanabe, I am sorry for getting you out of bed so early, but I still need to check some things with you, if you don't mind."
"It's quite all right."
"Have you ever heard of a player named 'Asuna'? She is a sword fighter."
"Hmm, no sir. Is it important?"
"Well, she is the first confirmed sighting of Kirito working with anyone since he worked with you. They were seen fighting a boss on Floor 74."
"High level players working together in a boss fight is not that unusual. Many will team up temporarily for that."
"Yes, I know. They might have just teamed up as one-shot combat partners. We still need to check it."
"I'm sorry, I don't know her. I wish I could help."
Kikuoka was thoughtful. "Well, maybe you still can. Hmm. Uhm.. Miss Watanabe, can I ask you a personal question? You don't have to answer if you won't want to."
"Personal?"
"Well, you know Kirito better anyone else in the game who has died. You told us how your death drove him into being a solo player, and we've confirmed that. It appears that your death while under his protection had strongly affected him as you feared it would, including that recording you made. We know he became obsessed with reviving you and he's been a solo player ever since. So, well, I'd like to ask..."
She looked down. "I know. I hate myself. I think about it every day. Every hour."
Kikuoka was the only person to whom Sachi had ever confessed about her obsession: that she would devote the rest of her life to Kirito, to give of herself anything he wanted from her, no matter the cost to herself. She was determined to pay back her debt to him in any way he wanted, even though she knew she could never fully repay it.
Kikuoka sighed, "I know, I know, I know. We've talked about so this many times. Please, Miss Watanabe, don't keep holding it against yourself. It was an honest mistake. You were a young girl who didn't know any better..."
She looked up sharply. "That doesn't fix it."
"Yes I know. All right.. Look, I'm sure we'll talk about this again some other time. But for now I need to ask you something. It might be important."
"Go on."
"Miss Watanabe, with all your demonstrated dedication and devotion to Kazuto at the hospital, and given the fact that you know him better than anyone, I'd like to ask you a question that, uh, well, will probably seem very personal for you. I need to know the answer, and I so very much don't want to hurt you.."
"Go ahead. There is nothing you can do to hurt me that hasn't been done to me already."
Kikuoka's heart nearly broke. He had a daughter her age.
"Miss Watanabe, I.. well.."
"Ask your question."
"Uh, well, all right. Miss Watanabe, I need to ask you, do you think he will ever..." He hesitated.
"Yes?"
"Now, I don't want to upset you. You've been through so much already." He sounded indecisive. "Perhaps I shouldn't.."
Her face showed steely resolve.
"Ask."
"Well, all right...
She waited.
"Do you think he will ever fall in love again?"
Then he quickly added, "In the game I mean, and I'm not implying that your relationship with him was anything but.."
She raised her hand. "I understand."
"Yes, of course. I'm so sorry that I needed to ask you that. Please, take your time and think carefully before you answer. I wouldn't be asking this question if it wasn't very important."
She did not hesitate. "I already have an answer."
He looked at her expectantly. Her reply was immediate.
"No."
She went on. "I believe he will never fall in love with anyone. Not until he beats the game and defeats Kayaba. It is the only thing he cares about, the only think he thinks about. Every day, every hour. I am certain of it."
Kikuoka was silent. Then he said softly, "I think you are probably right."
Their psych profiles are so similar they could almost be the same person.
"All right. Thank you. Again I apologize. I think we're done for today."
They have exactly the same obsessive personality types. If he wakes up from SAO and latches on to her, oh my, look out. With their mutual obsessiveness I bet they would bond stronger than adamantium. It certainly would be something to see.
Sachi leaned forward. She wanted to learn more about how Kirito was fairing. "Please, sir, tell me more about Kirito. You say they were combat partners?"
"Yes. The reason I asked is because if they have a long term team-up then we think she might give us a lead on Kayaba. She is high up in the Knights of the Blood Oath, one of the top two clearing guilds. Are you sure you never heard of her?"
"No sir."
"And you have never heard of any connection between Kirito and the Knights of the Blood Oath?"
"Again no sir, I'm sorry."
Well, maybe there is no connection between him and the KoBO. Nothing else Kuradeel said was true.
"Oh well, it's a pity."
"Why is it a pity?"
"Because if Kirito was affiliated with that guild it would help us enormously."
"I see. How would it help?"
"Well..."
"Please sir, I want to know. I want to help."
Kikuoka made a small smile.
There is just no saying 'no' to that girl. She is so persistent.
"All right." He leaned forward and lowered his voice. "What I about to tell you is confidential. You cannot tell anyone."
Sachi had been given an NDA to sign with the Ministry on a previous visit. "Yes sir. If you recall, I had signed a non-disclosure agreement with you."
"That's right. I am glad you remember that. Well, we think that Kayaba might try to get close to Kirito as a player character. It is based partly on the psych profile on Kirito that we built thanks to your input. At first I thought he might have masqueraded as Asuna, but now am I beginning to doubt that. If Kirito joins a guild it will narrow down the list of suspects considerably."
"That's wonderful. I'm glad to help. I hope you catch him."
"Amen to that. Kayaba has damaged and sometimes devastated the lives of many thousands of young people, including yours. I am so sorry about what happened to you. Anyway, as I said, we are finished for today."
Sachi looked back on her sad and lonely life since waking up. Still, she felt that as bad as her life had been, what Kayaba had done to Kirito was worse.
She started to feel angry inside. She muttered, "If anyone deserves to go to Hell, he does..."
Kikuoka chuckled, "Actually, we all do."
"We do?"
He started to loosen his tie and sat back. "Yes. None of us belong in Heaven. Not even a sweet girl like you."
"Oh. But why not?"
Kikuoka finished removing his tie, then he put his hands behind his head and looked up.
"Because we don't rate, none of us. We all screw up and fall short. Even Moses messed up near the end of his life, which is why he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land."
"But sir, I can understand why bad people like Hitler might go to Hell, but why would everyone.."
He interrupted her. "Oh, Hitler is not there."
"He's not?"
"No. Nobody is."
"I don't understand."
"It's because it hasn't happened yet."
"What hasn't?"
"The event that drops us all in there, in Hell. Well, the ones left behind anyway."
"What event?"
He smiled again. "Ah, now that's a good question. The Bible is kind of vague about how it is going to happen."
Sachi leaned forward. "Please sir, I want to know."
Kikuoka relaxed and put his feet on his desk. "Well, it requires knowledge of Greek and gets technical, so for now let's just step back a moment. The first thing to understand is that Jesus liked to use very strong language when talking about God, very vivid imagery. He'd say things like "Why do you pay no attention to the plank in your eye?"* and "You blind guides! You strain out a gnat, but swallow a camel!"** He did the same thing when talking about Hell: "If your eye makes you stumble, pluck it out" or else be "thrown into Hell [Gehenna], the unquenchable fire."*** That's strong stuff.
"But He also chose his words very carefully. You see, back then everybody in Jerusalem knew what that Gehenna (Hebrew: Gehinnom) meant. It was a real place, a garbage dump that was right outside of town. It was a large depression just outside the city walls where where the people tossed their out their trash, and it fell and accumulated in the valley below. For hundreds of years all that garbage accumulated in thick layers of decaying organic matter that decomposed into methane gas. From the wall of Jerusalem you could look down and literally see all these little fires burning all over that valley, and those fires really were unquenchable. You can still see those fires today at big municipal garbage dumps, where pipes are stuck into the ground to burn off the methane gas.
"So, you are saying that Hell is like a garbage dump?"
"That's His metaphor, not mine. You see, it's the default place where everything ends up. God's junk pile. It's separation, isolation. I think that Jesus is using really strong language to literally put the fear of God in you. He is warning you that you really, really, really do not want to end up in that garbage pile."
"But where is it? And why aren't we there yet?"
"Oh, we're there all right. Right now. You and me. Everybody."
"Now I am really confused..."
"Sorry. You see, I think we're standing on it. The Bible says that Jesus comes back, and a bunch of bad things happen, then finally the Earth gets destroyed*4 in fire*5. We don't know how it immolates exactly, but in my opinion the easiest way is with an asteroid - and not a particularly big one - a rock only 120 miles wide is enough to boil the seas*6 and melt the Earth's crust entirely away*7."
"And then we all fall in? Plop, just like that?"
"That's just my hunch, based on the original text - you would have to dig into the Greek translation of 'cast' versus 'drop' among other things - but the point is that it's inevitable. All we need to do is to simply sit on our collective butts and do nothing. Sooner or later, whether you are alive or in your grave, eventually all that exists in this sad world, you, me, and everything else that remains on Earth will fall in to that burning cauldron of unquenchable magma."
"It sounds so depressing.."
He made a small smile. "Well, I could go on to explain thermodynamic entropy and how it will eventually make the whole universe run down, and really depress you, but I won't. Look, just don't get hung up about it. The key thing to remember is that God loves us and wants a relationship with us."
She looked down. "If He does, I don't feel it."
He put his hand on her shoulder. "It's hard for you. I understand."
She pleaded with him, "But that's just it, I don't understand! Why did I suffer and die? Why was I brought back? Why is my life so miserable? Why are all these bad things happening to me? It makes no sense! There is no meaning to any of this!"
That poor girl. If she is asking those questions then I suspect Kirito is too. The game must seem just as meaningless to him*8.
"I'm sorry, I honestly don't know the answers to your questions. I wish I did. All I can tell you is that if you were brought back to life then I believe that there has to be a reason for it."
She sighed, "I just wish I knew what it was."
He pulled out her chair and helped her stand up. As he escorted her to the door he said, "Thank you for coming. If you need anything from me, anything at all, please let me know."
She turned and smiled, "I will. I appreciate you taking so much of your time for me."
"You take care of yourself. I'll be praying for you."
"Pray for Kirito too. He has lost so much weight and is so thin now."
"I will. And we'll do everything we can to find Kayaba. I promise."
"Thank you. Goodbye."
That girl, she has such amazing gifts... she is so caring, so giving of herself. But her emotional baggage is just too heavy right now.
Lord, I know You work on Your own timetable. Just please, let her know her purpose on this Earth. Keep her from harm. Protect Kazuto as well, and all other the victims of this tragedy. Please protect them all and show them Your love.
Midori walked into the kitchenette. Suguha was sitting in a chair eating a breakfast of cold cereal while flipping through a magazine.
"Good morning, Sugu."
Suguha mumbled something in response and kept reading.
Normally Midori would simply grab her coffee thermos and head out for the train station, but this time she stopped. She checked the time, then she sat at the kitchenette table next to her daughter.
"Sugu, dear, do you have a second?"
"Mmph?"
"Please, I'd like to talk with you for a moment. It's about you and Sachi."
That got Suguha's attention. She swallowed the glob of cereal that was in her mouth and put her spoon in the bowl. "What about us?"
"Well, you've been playing that VR game quite a lot.."
"Yeah?"
".. and you brought Sachi in to play with you, which I think is absolutely wonderful.."
"And?"
".. well, it's just that I don't see you two interacting much outside of the game."
Suguha thought quickly. "That's because we're both so busy. I have school and homework, prepping for my high school entrance exams, kendo club and stuff, and she has all her hospital volunteering with taking care of Kazuto and the other sleepers, doing all those household chores, and her own school studies. We don't have time for much else."
"Oh, I see. Well, I am glad at least that you two are finally good friends now."
"Yeah..." Suguha lied, "we're real good friends..."
"That poor girl, she needed a friend so badly. You are such a blessing in her life. She still has nobody but you. I think you two are just so adorable in bed together with your visors on."
"Yeah, in the game we're really close." That much was truthful.
Midori sighed, "I don't see much of her myself either. Are you sure she's gotten over the birthday party? I'm still so dreadfully sorry about that."
"She's chill. Just remember to always run things like that past me first. No more surprises."
"I promise, I won't. I just wish I could see more of her."
"Well, you are a busy person too."
"I know, and Minetaka is still in America on that merger negotation."
Midori looked thoughtful. "Say, I tell you what. Please tell Sachi that she's always welcome to come visit me when I am working in my office downstairs. I know she loves computers."
"Okay, I'll be sure to tell her that."
"Thank you so much, honey." Midori gave her daughter a quick peck on the cheek and left.
Suguha sighed and looked down at her unfinished cereal.
In ALO we are totally different people. We get along so great as Sylphs, and we really are best friends in there. But when she comes in to my room for a dive, she and I don't say a word to each other. Then afterward when she leaves, she just says, "Bye", and that's it. I don't say anything either, just "Bye". Why is that?
I guess we are both still wary of each other. I do admit that when Kazuto wakes up I will not trust her around him because of her VRDP thing. I even confessed it at the campfire. But why is she so circumspect around me too? It's like she doesn't trust me either! Why not? I'm his sister!
I'm his.. sister.
Sachi was standing with Leafa, Recon, and several other Sylphs in Daffodil Hall*9 while awaiting Sigurd's arrival.
Sachi whispered, "I'm nervous."
Leafa hushed her. "Shush."
The doors opened wide and Sigurd marched into the hall with his retinue. He wore heavy armor and a broadsword under a great green cloak. Upon his brow was a jeweled circlet of gold that made him look like a regal prince.
Sachi whispered to Leafa again, "I though you told me that Sylphs didn't have princes or royalty...?"
"I said shush."
Sigurd approached the group. He raised his arms to greet Leafa warmly. "Ah, Leafa! It is so good to see you again!" He braced her wrists in greeting.
Leafa braced his wrists in return. "Sigurd, it is good to see you as well. We have finished our mission and have eradicated all the sand wyrms from the Ancient Forest."
"You have? You have done well."
Leafa then added, "We do apologize for the tree damage. I hope you and Lady Sakuya will.."
At the mention of Lady Sakuya's name Sigurd waved his hand in aristocratic dismissal. "Do not concern yourself about Sakuya. You had to destroy the forest to save it. It happens."
"Uh, yes..."
Recon sighed behind them.
Then Sigurd noticed Sachi. He smiled at her, "Well, well, who do we have here?"
Leafa introduced her. "This is Sachi, my new friend and companion."
Sigurd nodded his head slightly in greeting. "Hail and well met, Sachi. You have the honor and privilege of meeting the greatest Sylph in Alfheim."
Leafa rolled her eyes a little.
What a blowhard.
Sachi asked, "You, sir?"
The question took Sigurd back. "Why, yes. I am the strongest, the fastest..."
"Oh, that has to be Leafa, sir."
"Pardon me?"
Leafa jumped in waving her hands. "Oh no, no, no. Nevermind her. She's new. She babbles. Just ignore her."
Sigurd gave Sachi a scowl and then turned to Leafa. "At any rate, the reason I summoned you here is that I would like to invite you to join my personal party."
Leafa asked, "Join you?"
"Yes. I want you to work with me under my direct supervision."
"Oh, I see. Well, I suppose I can discuss it with Sachi and Recon and..."
He interrupted her. "No, just you and Recon. I will not take her."
Leafa protested, "Sir, with respect, Sachi and I are a team. We work together."
Sigurd glanced down at the petite Sylph. "No. I don't work with noobs.
Leafa's eyes flashed in anger. "Sachi is not a noob! You should have seen her! When she's flying nobody can put a scratch on her!"
Sachi tried to calm Leafa down, "Hey, It's all right..."
Leafa ignored her and kept shouting at Sigurd. "You have no idea how experienced she is in playing VRMMOs! She has logged more dive time than any of us!"
Sigurd sounded skeptical. "Really? How so?"
Sachi grabbed Leafa's arm. "No, don't.."
But it was too late.
Leafa blurted out, "Sachi was in Sword Art Online for almost seven months! Nonstop 24/7! She has more VR dive experience than all of us put together!"
The room fell silent. A space formed around Sachi as people moved away from her.
Sigurd said softly, "Wait.. she's one of those crazy SAO people?"
"She's not crazy!"
"I don't understand this. I didn't think any of them played VRMMOs, not after something like that."
Leafa now realized that she had stuck her foot in her mouth, all the way up to her thigh. She started backpedaling. "Well, uh, this is all part of her rehab..."
Sigurd was skeptical. "Is it now?"
"Uh, yeah. I'm her, uhm, VR sponsor."
"I see. Well be that as it may, I'm not taking her."
Leafa stamped her feet. "You will take her or else!"
Sigurd arched an eyebrow. "Or else what?"
Leafa stammered, "Or else.. I will challenge you to a duel."
"You are challenging me? A formal challenge?"
"Yes, yes, I am."
Sigurd crossed his arms. "And what are the stakes?"
Leafa crossed her own arms in return. "If I win, you have to give Sachi the same all due respect and honors that you give me."
"Feh. And if I win?"
"Then I'll agree to work with you, alone, no questions asked."
He studied the pair. "Hmm, I'll have to think about it."
One of his retinue whispered in his ear. He nodded. "Meanwhile, I have other business to attend to." He walked out along with his retinue, not a few of whom gave disapproving looks at Sachi as they left.
After they were gone Sachi turned to Leafa. She was upset.
"Leafa, you should have kept quiet."
"Yeah, I'm sorry. He just pisses me off sometimes and I got carried away."
"Why in the world did you challenge him? If he's really the best.."
Leafa re-crossed her arms. "Oh, I think I can beat him. Besides, Sigurd just uses people like tools. He actually doesn't care about their backgrounds. Look, once he learns how good you are, I bet he'll take us both anyway."
"Still, you shouldn't have said anything."
One of the reasons Sachi had agreed to play the game with Suguha was not just to make friends but also to escape, if only temporarily, her walking curse of being labeled a VRDP. But the scarlet letter now followed her here to another world.
"Yeah, I know. I shot my mouth off. I'm really sorry."
"Please don't mention it ever again."
"I promise." She put her arm around Sachi's shoulder. "Look, we're pals, right?"
"Yeah.."
Recon came up between them. "C'mon, let's go. We're supposed to meet Lady Sakuya next."
They left.
Lady Sakuya prepared to enter the main greeting hall of her estate. Her two assistants were just finishing fixing up her hair.
Previously she had her kitchen staff arrange a line of trays along a side table. The trays were positioned under a set of lattice windows overlooking her personal garden. They were filled with pastries and sweets. She knew that Leafa loved them.
She said to her assistants, "Let's begin."
The doors flew open and she strode in to welcome her favorite combat Sylph.
Then she stopped and looked on curiously at what has happening in the middle of her greeting hall.
She had expected to see Leafa standing at the side table stuffing her face with pastries like she always did. Lady Sakuya's tasty delectables were famous across all of Alfheim. And best of all? They had no calories.
Leafa was not stuffing herself with pastries. She was standing in the middle of the hall with Recon and another Sylph. She appeared to be in the midst of a heated argument with the other Sylph, a smaller girl with unusually long wings.
The argument had been going on for a while. Recon had given up trying to separate them.
Lady Sakuya heard Sachi finishing.
".. you have raw power, yes, but it takes more than that to make a good flyer."
Leafa barked, "Hah! I can beat you any day of the week!"
Sachi walked up close. "You think? With all that mass? And those big boobs?"
Leafa was incredulous. "B-Big boobs? Oh!"
Leafa shoved her face right up to Sachi's. "I can beat your scrawny little butt with one wing tied down!"
Sachi grinned back. "You want to make it interesting?"
Leafa returned her nasty looking grin with one of her own. "Yeah, let's."
"All right. Whoever loses has to scoop and clean Yaya's litter box for two months."
Leafa stared her down. "Oh, you are so evil."
"Heh."
Recon sighed, "Putting those two together in the same VRMMO really is the worst thing ever."
Sakuya leaned over and whispered to Recon, "What is a Yaya?"
Recon whispered back, "A terrible creature, mi'lady, one whose odiferous noxious emissions are like a poisonous fume. Truly most foul and vile. I have had the unfortunate experience of smelling those putrid emissions of lumpy ichor myself." He shuddered. "It is an odor I would not wish on my worst enemy."
The race leader of the Sylphs nodded with understanding, "My, my. I did not realize that those two had such an intense rivalry between them."
"I am afraid they do, mi'lady. It seems that they joyfully compete in everything."
"I see that. And for high stakes it seems."
"Oh indeed."
Meanwhile, Leafa and Sachi continued their impromptu mutual staring contest as they continued to grin evilly at each other.
The trio had left Lady Sakuya's estate and were walking back to the main town square of Swilvane. Leafa was grumbling to herself.
As they walked together Leafa turned to Sachi. "You fink."
"Hmm?"
"You worked that out with Sakuya ahead of time, didn't you..."
Sachi battered her eyelashes innocently. "Who, me?"
"Now I know you did. Argh! You are such a little stink butt!"
Recon said, "Hey, Leafa, it's your own fault. You agreed to let Lady Sakuya be the race arbiter and decide the layout of the race course."
"Yeah... a zig-zag spaghetti mess through the woods. Sachi, I hate you."
Sachi just kept walking while humming a pleasant tune.
As the trio entered the main square, another Sylph ran up to meet them. She was weirdly tall with long garish ears, tiny wings, and a strange outfit. None of the trio recognized the newcomer.
"Hi!"
Leafa peered at her, "Uh, do we know you?" The name above the newcomer's life bar read, 'Pookie'.
"It's me!"
Sachi asked, "Who are you?"
"I'm at the gaming store. The one by the Saitama Omiya train station."
Leafa looked at Sachi. Omiya was the train station nearest to the Kirigaya residence.
The strange tall Sylph went on. "Oh, I so loved playing these video games when I was young. Tomb Raider, Mass Effect, Super Mario Kart." She put her hands on her hips and did a pose, "I was quite the gamer chick in my day, you know."
"Wait..."
"The store clerk at the VR store let me try on a visor with a free trial. Suguha, you've been playing this game for so long, and now with Sachi too, so I just had to drop in and say Hi!"
"You mean.."
The gangly Sylph opened her arms wide. "That's right, it's your mommy!"
Leafa and Sachi turned and faced each other.
Then they started yelling in perfect stereo.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Kagemune led the decoy party.
This time it would be different.
Previously, he and his squad of Salamander raiders had been wiped out four times in a row.
Each time it was the same: Their raiding party would spot a Sylph flying by itself over the Ancient Forest, easy prey.
His squad would approach it and then...
... they were all instantly dead.
The frustrating thing was that there was no warning. They couldn't figure out what was happening. There was no weapon or spell that could instantly obliterate an entire Salamander raiding party like that. Not even the legendary sword Excalibur could do that. The Great Sword of Power could kill them all one by one, yes, but at least they could see it happen.
It was like an invisible hand just swatted them all out of the sky.
After the second time, Kagemune sent a scout back to the scene of the crime. The scout returned and reported seeing hundreds of flattened trees in a circular pattern, all pointing away from the center.
What could possibly do that? Had the Sylphs discovered some kind of ancient artifact? A doomsday weapon of mass destruction? Or was it something not even in the Archives?
Kagemune reported his findings directly to Mortimer, the Leader of the Salamanders. Mortimer then ordered that two squads be sent out, one led by Kagemune and the another led by Mortimer's brother, Eugene, the strongest of the Salamanders.
The two squads flew in formation about a kilometer apart. Kagemune spotted the lone Sylph and signalled the other squad. Eugene ordered his squad to fall back to watch, and...
.. both squads were instantly dead.
Mortimer was enraged. More scouts. They reported finding two circles of downed trees, but this time the circles were half the size.
Eugene conferred with his brother, and they had Kagemune fly his squad out yet again, but this time Eugene followed them by himself. He flew low, with a cloaking spell, and stayed about a kilometer behind Kagemune's squad.
Kagemune sent a signal. Eugene used his spyglass to sweep the area ahead. He spotted the lone Sylph ahead of them.
He swept the skies with his lens, back and forth, up and down.
There! Up very high, two small objects, thousands of meters up. He zoomed the lens. He saw them, two Sylphs. But surely they were too far out of range to attack anything. Were they spies also?
Then he saw it. The pair shot down, and soon they were like meteors. He pulled away the lens from his eyes, which was fortunate because otherwise the flash might have blinded him.
He saw Kagemune's squad obliterated as the sonic boom thundered across the hills.
He nodded to himself and returned home.
"Leafa, this is getting boring."
"Stop whining, Recon."
Sachi scratched her head. "I don't get it. You'd think they'd learn by now..."
"Sachi, they're Salamanders. Big dumb idiots."
Recon piped up, "Nobody is that dumb."
"Look, we keep doing it until the incursions stop, okay?"
Sachi sighed, "Fine. Leafa, cloak us. Then let's go up."
Recon said, "It's too bad you can't stack Cloak with Protection From Falls. That would really drive them nuts. Invisible death from above, heh."
Leafa grinned, "Like I said, big dumb idiots. Sachi, we're cloaked, let's go."
"Leafa, here they come. Hmm, just one squad."
"Yep. Salamanders. Idiots 'R Us."
Sachi frowned. "I don't know... I don't like this."
"Let's just do it. I'm decloaking us."
Leafa began to cast the spell Protection From Falls on both of them.
Suddenly, a burst of orange flame exploded on Sachi's back.
She tumbled out of the sky.
"What..?" Leafa whirled around.
Eugene had already decloaked and was about 40 meters away. He roared a challenge and fired his flame lance again.
Leafa dodged and counter-attacked with a volley of needles. Eugene avoided them successfully.
Leafa quickly looked down and saw Sachi tumbling out of control.
"Sachi! I'm coming!" She raced down as fast as she could. Eugene followed, but Salamanders were the slowest flyers in the game. He soon fell behind.
"Sachi!"
Sachi felt the explosion on her back.
It was the first time she had been hit.
She was stunned. Her life bar plummeted to the red. She was disoriented and spiraling down out of control. She started to panic.
She saw the horizon whirling around her, spinning faster and and faster. Then she saw the forest canopy rushing up.
She knew that she was going to die.
No! No! No!
There was a burst of static as her visor's 3D frustum tried to adjust to the sudden discontinuity in her velocity vector at impact. Pixels exploded. There was red everywhere.
Then she saw it. The large sans serif font.
YOU ARE DEAD.
For a moment she thought she had lost track of time and was unconscious. She now seemed to be low on the ground. Prostrate? She could turn and see her surroundings. But...
She could not move.
What was happening? She noticed a strange red glow around her. She tried to look at her hands.
But her hands were not there.
Huh?
She tried to look at herself. All she saw was a small red flame that seemed to envelope her.
What?
I am a remainder flame.
That's all that is left of me.
I am dead.
Then she heard a noise.
Her impact had attracted something in the Ancient Forest.
She heard a strange barking noise, guttural and deep. Then two large black claws appeared through the bushes and pulled them apart.
Then she saw it. A grendel. It was three meters high, with a head shaped like a carnivorous dinosaur. It approached and loomed above her tiny insignificant sputtering flame.
The monster walked up very close to the flame and sniffed it. Sachi could see it's red eyes, feel it's corrupted pebbly flesh, and smell its sickening odor.
Her mind reeled. She tried to flee, but she couldn't move.
Meanwhile the monster contained to sniff at her flame. It pushed the flame away with its snout, causing it to pass right through a dead tree trunk and come out the other side. The monster then walked around the tree trunk and sniffed the flame again. Deciding it might be tasty, the monster opened its slobbering maw and consumed the flame completely. Its jaws snapped shut.
She had been eaten. The world swirled around her and went completely black as her flame went out.
Suguha logged out and quickly pulled off her AmuSphere visor. She turned and saw Sachi laying there next to her. The hand that she had been holding all this time was now limp and lifeless.
She pushed and pulled Sachi's shoulder. "Sachi? Log out. You need to wake up."
"Sachi..?"
She was lifeless.
Suguha jumped up and ran around to Sachi's side of the bed. She lifted the petite girl's torso up to a semi-sitting position, then ripped the visor off her head and threw it away.
"Sachi!"
Sachi's eyes were still closed. Suguha used two fingers to carefully open an eyelid.
The pupil was dilated and fixed, the cornea slightly clouded over.
Suguha let go of her limp body. It fell back on the bed like a rag doll.
"Sachi?"
She slapped Sachi's face.
"Sachi!?"
She slapped her face again, harder.
"SACHI!"
The girl did not move.
I am dead.
Sachi felt nothingness, non-existence. Her body and spirit had been separated.
She was trapped in her own mini-universe. It contained just her, and only her, and nothing else.
I am alone.
Previously she had been reborn into a second life after SAO, a sad and solitary existence, in a world that had despised her.
I was always alone.
Now even that had been taken away from her.
There was a crushing sense of loss and isolation. Her solitary life as a VRDP was nothing compared to this.
Her memory of dying the first time had returned. She was able to recall how she had felt that first time: losing Kirito, losing her friends, losing everything she had ever loved.
Time passed of unknown duration.
Isolation.
Separation.
She was cut off from everyone and everything she had ever loved. And she had absolute certainty that she would never see any of them ever again.
Loss.
Darkness.
Blackness.
Torment.
She was Alone.
Please!
Nothing.
Silence.
I need you!
Darkness.
Blackness.
Please...
She despaired.
She was alone.
Forever alone.
And then...
And then...
She felt it.
It was here!
The light.
Light.
Everywhere, the light.
It enveloped her, surrounded her.
It was the same feeling that she had when she was protected before.
Light.
Nothing but light.
The light.
She breathed it in.
There was light. It was fluorescent.
Then a girl's voice. "Hey there."
A blurry face.
"Took you long enough."
The face resolved into focus. It was Suguha.
Sachi tried to sit up in her hospital bed. Suguha gently pushed her back down. "Wait for the doctors to check you out."
Sachi's throat was dry. Suguha held out something. "Here is a sippy cup. Drink it slow."
Sachi drank the cool liquid. It soothed her raw throat. Suguha pulled away the cup.
Sachi rasped, "How long..?"
"Three days."
"What happened..?"
"You finally got hit in the game. One solid hit was all it took. That blast knocked you right out of the sky. You then crashed. I think the impact killed you."
"I was brought back to life?"
"No, I'm sorry, you weren't. I couldn't reach you within the one minute window to revive you. Your remainder flame must have went out. I searched but couldn't find you in the woods in time. I'm sorry."
"No, it wouldn't have mattered. A grendel ate me."
"Really? Eww, that's icky. I'm sorry..."
"But why was I brought back?"
"No, I couldn't find you."
"That's not what I mean." Sachi looked up at the ceiling.
What is she doing?
"Why did you bring me back?"
Huh? Does she mean Kayaba?
Suguha decided to ignore it. "Look, uhm, the doctor said you would probably wake up on your own. And you did. I'm so happy about that. I don't know what I'd do if you stayed comatose."
"He was right."
She's babbling.
"Sachi, look at me."
Her gaze turned back to Suguha.
Suguha knelt down at her bedside. "Sachi, I'm.. I'm really sorry. The game was a stupid idea. I thought it was a good way for us to bond, you know? Become friends? You're a such a big computer gaming geek, and you took to being a Sylph like a duck to water. And you were amazing! We had so much fun together. I never heard Recon gripe so much, heh. And we got to talk about stuff together, at the campfires, private stuff."
She looked down. "But all I did was hurt you. They told me that no other VRDP has ever dived into a VRMMO since they woke up. That should have been a big clue."
"Sugu, I died."
Suguha was frustrated. "I know. But, it shouldn't have been that traumatic. Character death in ALO isn't supposed to be a big deal. You just lose some items, some stats, then a minute later you pop up back in Swilvane good as new. That's it."
"Sugu.. I died.."
"It must have been because of your time in SAO. It triggered you. Oh, I am so sorry, Sachi. Your death must have brought back all your memories of your final moments in SAO, when you thought you were dying for real."
Suguha dropped her head down. Tears started to make splatter marks on the tiled linoleum. "I.. I hurt you. I hurt you so bad. Oh, I'm so sorry, Sachi. I should have known better. What if you never woke up again? I could never live with myself."
"Sugu, it's okay."
Suguha pounded her fist against the bed frame. "No, it is not okay! I'm an idiot! What the heck was I thinking to put a visor on you? Sachi.."
"Really, it was okay."
"What? No it wasn't!"
"You helped me. I think I was supposed to die."
Suguha stopped crying and looked up at her, wiping her face. "I don't understand."
"You're right. I remember now. What it felt like. To die. It must have been what the others felt when they died in SAO. They forgot their memory of it because of the death trauma, but the feeling remained inside them. No wonder some of them are so mentally disturbed..."
"Hey.. are you okay..?"
Sachi looked up at the ceiling again. "I remember."
Suguha saw that Sachi's blue-green eyes had that strange look again, deep and unfathomable. The last time it had unnerved Suguha, but this time it was different.
This time her eyes were not piercing. Her face.. what was it?
Calm, serene. At peace.
Suguha held her hand. "Sachi, look at me. I'm sorry. Just know that whatever the heck happened to you in there, from now on you are not alone. Forget about Kazuto for now.. I am going to try to be your friend, for real. I mean it. I'm here for you."
Sachi gently touched Suguha's face and placed her second hand over Suguha's. "I know."
Suguha gripped Sachi's hand tighter in return. "I really mean it. You won't be alone anymore. I promise, I will do my best to be your friend, your real friend, here on the outside. I will make sure that you are never alone, ever again."
"I know."
Suguha began to break down. "I'm so sorry.. I'm.."
Sachi gently hugged her. Suguha grasped the back of her hospital gown tightly in both hands.
They stayed in that embrace, in silence, for a long, long time.
The Progress lab on the RECT corporate campus was 16 meters below ground level. In the underground lab a tall reedy man with narrow black-rimmed eyeglasses checked the monitor. He was wearing a white lab coat. A stockier man stood next to him.
The thin man asked, "Are we ready?"
The heavier man replied, "Yes sir. We can grab control the moment they try to shut the mainframes down."
"The helmets of our selected subjects will immediately switch to full lethality mode?"
"Yes sir."
"Good." It was Sugou's last-resort option in case the authorities discovered him.
Then he rubbed his chin. "He is out there somewhere..." He turned. "I don't want him getting in to our system, no matter what."
The stocky man showed him a tablet with a list of data items on it. He said, "Sir, our server farm is now completely locked down. We did a TCB Orange Book Class A scrubdown. It's a formal security model via mathematical Type Enforcement*10. The expense was rather significant."
"Good. I don't care about the cost. And the I&A system?"
"It uses three-factor authentication, dual biometrics, SHA3 at 16384 bits, Elliptical Curve Diffie-Hellman, Galois/Counter Mode, the works. Then we shimmed it with extra proprietary ciphers. The reference monitor underneath it is beyond state of the art. We even ran an AI scan on the source code you provided us. There is no way he can get in. Heathcliff is locked out. Guaranteed."
"Still, you can never be too paranoid with him..."
"Sir, with this in place it won't matter what he does. The authorities are close to nabbing him anyway."
"Yes, they are. And we will help see to that won't we? Send the authorities an anonymous tip perhaps? Carry on." The underling left the lab.
The thin man was now alone in the room. He pushed a button under the monitor, and the image on the screen shifted.
It now displayed a closed-circuit view from an infrared camera of a private locked hospital ward. The room contained a single medical bed with a female patient with red hair wearing a NerveGear helmet.
"Yes, my dear..."
He looked at Asuna's sleeping form.
".. you are already mine."
The villa was high in the mountains, almost inaccessible. Attached to the building was a small microwave dish. Inside a man woke up on a medical bed.
A woman in her late 20s helped him remove his NerveGear helmet. As he pulled it off he sighed, "Still unsatisfactory progress with the biosapients. The MHCP001 development is interesting, but I need more organics."
He turned and asked the woman, "Have they tracked the link past the egress point?"
The woman said, "No, but it's only a matter of time now. There are only so many jabbers we can exploit."
He shook his head. "Unfortunate. Some of the biosapients' exoselves are degrading too. Particularly the primary." He sighed. "Well, the experiment was due to end soon anyway."
"But Aki, this is your life's work..."
"I know. It can't be helped. We'll just collect whatever data we can. The players in the assault teams took longer than we expected to clear the lower floors. Even with my help they were too slow. Too timid."
"They thought they'd die. Can you really blame them?"
He ignored her. Instead he asked, "What about RECT?"
The woman looked down. "It's why I revived you. We have a serious problem."
"Which is?"
"Sugou's TCB Orange Book Class A efforts finally paid off. He found everything, every back door, including the sidebands, even the direct volume writes to bypass the filesystem."
The man pinched his nose. "Kirito might be obsessed with beating me, but that Sugou is a bloody monomaniac compared to him. I don't know why I didn't fire him before he walked off with the source code."
"The amount of money he must have spent on the Class A design must have been incredible. He already closed and deleted your Heathcliff ALO account, and Oberon is now using three factor I&A."
"So, we have nothing on the inside anymore?"
"Nothing. We are completely locked out."
"You mean..."
"No inside help from us. If anyone gets stuck in there, we can do nothing to help them. We can't even create a passive apparition in there."
"So there is nothing we can do?"
"Nothing, nothing at all."
A/N:
* Mt 7:3, Lk 6:41
** Mt 23:24
*** Mk 9:47-48
*4 Mt 24:35, Mk 13:31, Lk 21:33
*5 2 Pe 3:7
*6 Rev 21:1
*7 See "Melt Productions by Large Impacts on the Earth", Nature 511, 578-582 (2014/07/31).
*8 LN Vol 1
*9 LN Vol 3
*10 US Patent 20080141338 A1