He was about to swing his sword, he was close, so close. He was about to defeat the last obstacle on his way an-
"Log Out initiated, have a nice day."
Clawed hands removed the helm from his head, as he opened his eyes.
"What happened?"
"Server wide log out-maybe server update or maintenance? Or just refresh?"
"It seemed too sudden."
"Maybe something popped up all of a sudden-I don't know! You weren't in there for the game anyway, Hideo!" the other raised his voice, impatient.
"Yeah, yeah… didn't find much anyway."
"There better be SOME progress soon… You get to play that VR to find what the Primogen wants, not for fun-he will be displeased with failure. Particularly after your speech that you're the best gamer among the Nosferatu.
"Why the rumor is that the Primogen himself got orders from high to investigate this 'ALO'. "
"Maybe if I had something more… A black clad expert swordsman is not a narrow enough description." Hideo retorted, frowning.
"You're just pissed that your time on the virtual 'sun' got cut off- with the orders to halt further purchase of these 'AmuSpheres' by our clan, you are one of those who got the rare chance to go in among people without anyone spitting at your ugly mug or screaming. You should show your thanks by fulfilling that task dutifully and with all your might first. You better not be too late."
Ryotaro tried to meditate to pass the time, check around the room for something to pass the time (the computer seemed to be old parts from multiple computers put together, and working better then in their original configurations.
Around were old books about computers.
More examination and exploration gave no hint about Kirito's 'private stash'. The kid must've hidden it too well, or his parents cleaned it away in the last two years.
Nothing that looked connected to the Hidden World of Darkness, danger of any kind, or anything potentially embarrassing.
The couple times the boy's mother called, he gave excuses to keep her away from the room-she wouldn't take well to seeing her son with the deathtrap on his head again.
Kirito's sister seemed conspicuously absent.
Again, he felt something strange for a moment, but when he tried to concentrate and divine its origin… nothing.
He glanced back at his prone friend.
"I know you will find her. Best of luck."
The bored Garou tried to pass the time, and scout for danger nearby, until a noise alerted him to a presence inside the room.
"You're back!" he exclaimed, as Kirito hastily removed the NerveGear without any sign of harm (much to his relief).
It took the younger boy more time than it should have, to respond, as he just looked at Klein like a deer caught in flashlight.
"… Right, I forgot about you. I-"
"Yes, you did. Now what happened?"
"Asuna-I found her-she is back-I need to get to the hospital as fast as I can- before awake-"
"Wait, wait, hold on. You found Asuna?" when kazuto just nodded silently, Klein asked more, half disbelieving. "And She is about to awake?" another nod, before the blackhaired youth got up, and hurried out of the room.
Klein just chased after him. 'Just like old times, when you run to save the day, and I'm right behind, to save you.'
"Hey, wait, you don't need a bike, I got my car parked just outside-I'll drive you to Asuna, it's faster anyway."
When Sugou Nobuyuki started it all it seemed like the perfect setup- He was about to marry the beautiful daughter of the CEO of RETCO (thus getting an in into inheriting that company), niece to the an important technocrat (an in into that circle as well, and its unique agents), his hated rival know-it-all Kayaba was found dead, and, more importantly, dishonored due to the whole SAO incident.
And he was about to get even more rich and powerful, after the completion of his project on the SAO survivors he commandeered. With Asuna a proper Titania and deferential queen to the new kingdom he would make in japan.
But no! That damned boy just had to interfere! Sugou disliked him from the start-sniffing after HIS Asuna! Somehow none of the assassins he sent at him returned not even the special 'security' team that was directly under the RETCO head of security- who was hanpicked by his future uncle in law, and even more peculiar, the boy seemed truly ignorant of it.
And suddenly, just as it was about to reach it's finish, just as that unpleasant Fea was close to finishing the task Sugou assigned him (And the brilliant researcher made note to punish him for his impudence after his ascension), Asuna, of all people, cancelled his research program, costing him time and forcing him to start over.
Then THAT BOY somehow got into his secret lab! And just as he was about to punish, to finally crush the upstart, he somehow arisen, threw the hated name of that rival, Kayaba at him, and after canceling the pain absorber, dared to stand against him-against Sugou! Mocked him with the Excalibur sword, and then-
'No, it doesn't matter, I'll show him, I will show them all!'
With hands still shaking from the memories, and the phantom pain, he hurried to his car, cellphone ordering another group from the company 'special security' to accompany him-before receiving a denial-apparently Yuuki Byakuya-sama ordered them to ignore his orders, 'due to suspicion'… how dare he, even if that one lost interest in his program, he still had the American contact he was to meet today –to whom he intended to sell it as well.
Still maybe the orders had yet to reach all the way down, even if the more 'exotic' muscle was now beyond his reach.
As he got to the parking lot, he called toe local security guard. "You there, I need you to come with me at once!"
"Sir, I'm on shift here-"
"Do you know who I am?! I am Nobuyuki Sugou! The future son in law of the CEO, Do you really want to get fired!"
"N-no sir! I'll just radio so they sent a replacement here!"
"Radio them to come and help me-that's more important! And tell them to hurry if they want to keep the job."
'Finally, someone starts to show me an inkling of the respect I deserve!'
Ordering the minions into the car, Sugou gritted his teeth as he drove as fast as he could to the hospital-to Asuna. To get there before the brat.
He then dialed another number on his cellphone.
"Lambda team."
"This is Nobuyuki, a short, black-haired boy is about the reach your location-subject identified previously as Kirigaya, detain him on sight, I repeat, detain him on sight. Use whatever means you can- I authorize free action!"
If the man on the other side had any reaction to these orders, it was undetectable, as he replied without hesitation.
"Acknowledged"
Satisfied with that, Sugou soon reached the hospital parking, and drove into the closest free spot.
"you all, with me!"
Ignoring the security personal and what irrelevant replies they may have, he exited the car, and ran into the lobby, ignoring the clerk greeting him and chasing the lift area. "Hurry, you damn lift!"
As soon as a lift opened he pushed inside and didn't let anyone else enter, until all his men did, whereupon he pushed the 'close door' button and the appropriate floor.
As soon as they reached the floor, he exited and ran to Asuna, soon to be his Titania, the bride to his GOD OBERON.
"Stand guard outside the door, don't let ANYONE enter, and DON'T come in unless I call you!"
He then hurried inside, to finally great his –
He didn't have time for the strange short blonde girl that was sitting there, took out a knife and pounced on her.
'this should buy me some time. wh -'
Only to have a man he was sure wasn't there before, grab his arm with an iron grip.
"Are you the one responsible for this?" the child asked, not turning its gaze from the still sleeping figure.
"And who the hell are YOU? Now let me go!" he yelled at the man holding him, who, on a deeper glance was shown to be a westerner in a suit. Wearing glasses indoor, at night, for some reason.
Only then did the girl turned to look at him.
"Are YOU the one responsible for this?" this time there was something strange in her voice, something he found himself unable to ignore.
"yes." He found himself revealing.
The girl clenched her hand into a fist, but that was the only signal that she heard him. She ordere again.
"Tell me."
He did.
As soon as they reached their destination, kirito hopped out of the car, anxiety and worry eating at him.
"Hold down, hero, your princess can wait for a moment, let me park properly and catch up to you!"
Kazuto was about to retort, when his instincts urged him of danger, turning around, he spotted men trying to surround him, wearing what could've been tactical gear under baggy clothes.
"kirigaya-san, you are to be detained! Stop and surrender at once."
"Detained? By who?"
"Stop and surrender at once!"
"They're not cops, Kirito! I'll take care of them. You push on and reach Asuna!" Klein exclaimed, pouncing on one of them, as both dropped to the ground, as he diverted the attention of others on himself.
'Just like in SAO, when I'm outnumbered you come to help me, Klein.'
Unaware of the grateful smile on his face, Kirito pressed on, running through men trying to stop him. A glance backwards revealed Ryotaro just lending a knockout punch on another one, and turning to the others. The Black Swordsman even winced in sympathy at it.
When he ran past the lobby, he yelled. "Call the police-this is important!" and running to the elevator. After a glance as it has yet to be available and a thought, he took the stairs, running as fast as he could, until, breathless, he finally reached the floor.
Pushing the door from the stairway while trying to catch his breath, he jogged towards Asuna, instincts from Aincrad guiding to preserve some of his remaining strength, lest there be need for it inside.
Upon entering, he found two familiar figures, and the sight of both together, and especially at their current location surprised him.
"Argo?"
"You were a little late, Kii-bou, but you still have a chance to wake your sleeping princess with a kiss. I will take care of the trash here, in the meantime.
A second look showed that the other with her, Sugou, wearing a suit and overcoat, and who was beaten up, with bulging veins near the eye he stabbed him through, inside ALO, and bruises all over his face, holding his stomach in pain. Whimpering, and not daring make eye contact with either of them.
"Hey, Kirit-o…" Klein started, as he entered soon, 'too soon, did he really finish them all, and so fast?'
Kazuto did not miss the way the tone, and words, died as his best friend spotted the rat. The smile that was half forming on the would be samurai was erased, face turning neutral.
Kirito did not remember Argo and Klein ever being so cold to each other. And briefly wondered just what he missed.
But it was not important now. "We will take our leave, and let you greet you damsel, goof luck, Kii-bou. She winked at that and with one arm at the entrepreneur that flinched at her touch, and another attempting to grab Klein, and aborting after a look from him, left. Ryotaro following her after a glance into the room.
Kirigaya Kazuto then turned to look at Asuna, as pretty as always, with angelic expression as she was in her sleep, and gently removed the NerveGear from her head. A panicked glance at the monitors confirmed her still alive-the battery didn't cook her brain.
He really did it!
Kirito took another glance at his beloved, and with trembling heart and shaky hands, lowered himself to her, whispering "Asuna."
Author Notes: And thus the fairy dance arc is almost done. next chapter will be its conclusion. Sorry for the delay, but as I have revealed in the disclaimer of my other recently updated fics, June was spent on writing for another fandom that inspired me, and July was a busy time for me.
What do you think? Please review! It motivates me to write more and update more often.