[Bishop-chan's Notes - No, my delay in updating days ago was not caused by playing a game about space ninjas vs clones, corporations and infestations in their quest for phat lewt. Definitely not.]
My Hero Tonkii - Tonkii and the Giant Fruit
by aightaight2
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In the middle of the Faerie Capital's Central District a conical building towered over the surrounding mansions. Discounting the World Tree, the aptly named Arrun Tower was easily the tallest structure in the city. It was also one also one of the most important, housing both the Faerie's newly formed governing Council as well as the city's administration. Combining these factors made it one of the busiest locations in Tristain.
Anyone interested in doing a spot of 'Faery Spotting' could see members of every Race entering and exiting the Tower at all hours of the day and night. Workers and officials would disappear into the building for hours at a time to complete their shifts, couriers would scurry in and out for the few minutes necessary to drop off and pick up their packages, and travelling Fae would enter for the brief seconds needed to board the elevators to the roof, maximizing their flight time as they launched toward their destinations.
The Tower Roof was also familiar ground for a procession of Fae intent on entering the building. The main doors may have been located at street level, but to a flying functionary the Ceiling Hatch across from the elevators was a much more convenient entry point for those headed to the offices on the upper floors.
On this day, however, the usual smooth pattern of ingress and egress was disturbed by several knots of watchers standing stationary upon the roof. Drawn by the rumors that had recently begun to circulate through the Capital, they were using the extra height to full advantage - heads tilted back, Perception skill fully focused as they scanned the vista above them.
Among these groups one trio in particular stood out due to its unique composition – the Sylph Countess dressed in verdant green, a slim young Spriggan clothed in deepest black, and a chestnut-haired Maeve with her white wings projecting idly from her back. They had just finished meeting with one of the Fae's key Information Brokers, and had made the detour to the top of the Tower to confirm the hint that she had dropped at the end of the session.
"Have you spotted it yet, Kirito?" asked Asuna, banking on the Spriggan's sixth sense to spy out the high-quality ingredient before anyone else.
"Not yet, but it has to be there somewhere. Argo confirmed the rumor – and you know that she would never confirm it unless it was true."
Above them the World Tree dwarfed Arrun Tower, the green and golden trunk fading to a silvery grey as it pierced the heavens. Craning his neck, Kirito was determined to find the elusive target.
"There!" he called out triumphantly.
Asuna immediately checked where he was pointing. Scanning to the east, a flicker of color caught her attention. At the limits of her Perception she could just make out a tiny orangey-yellow dot. Beyond the trio the claim spread swiftly across the rooftop, and within a second or two over twenty pairs of keen Faerie eyes were trained towards the indicated bearing.
"You're sure that's it?" asked Sakyua. No matter how much she concentrated, she couldn't make out anything more than a dark speck against the translucent green leaves.
Raising her right hand, she incanted a short spell. Glowing runes formed quickly before dispersing, replaced by a short spout of water that gushed up between her hands. Wind Magic caught the water immediately, freezing it to form a flat crystal.
Kirito had turned swiftly to face her as she commenced her chant. "Ahh - viewing magic. What can you see?"
Through the magical lens, Sakuya could make out… an orange fruit hanging from one of Yggdrasil's lower branches. "It appears that Yggdrasil truly is bearing a fruit. And given the distance… it must be at least the size of a house!"
Chanting again, she passed a second Viewing Lens to Kirito.
Asuna, with her skill in languages and some brief coaching from the Sylph Lord, soon conjured up a Lens of her own.
"So… a yellowish-orange fruit, slightly bell shaped… round, dark green leaves…" reported Asuna.
"There's no doubt about it. It's a Giant Kumquat."
"A kumquat?" queried Sakuya.
"I'm sure of it." Asuna confirmed in certain tones. "It's almost ripe. If it really is that big, we could make plenty of food with it…"
She imagined the production line that they could set up with such a large ingredient - jar after jar of kumquat marmalade, kumquat jellies, her own special salad recipe… and a little extra set aside as a garnish for tea… there might even be enough to earn some money exporting kumquat preserves as a luxury item to the gourmands throughout Tristain!
Her vivid imaginings were interrupted by Sakuya's questioning voice.
"I thought that kumquats weren't introduced to Europe until at least the 19th century?"
As an amateur history buff, it was amazing how many pieces of stray trivia Sakuya had stored in her brain. Most were irrelevant to their current situation, but every now and then the irrelevant would suddenly become relevant once more.
Kirito stopped drooling, his focus on the citrus fruit sharpening still further. "So if we can get to it, we could use the seeds to cultivate our own orchard right now? And if we don't, it could be years before we could import it?"
"Years at very least," replied Sakyua, "and that's if they exist in this World at all. It's a shame that it's stuck behind Yggdrasil's Shield."
"There must be a way…" Kirito muttered. He could almost taste the culinary delights that Asuna would be able to create from it. His features took on an odd twist at the thought of losing such a priceless opportunity.
That's what he looks like when he's determined to find a solution, thought Asuna. I hope he doesn't come up with anything too outlandish...
"Well, if you come up with anything, let me know," the Maeve replied. "I'm sure that Leafa and Yui will want to join in if we decide to launch a Kumquat Crusade!"
Later that evening the sounds of warm comradeship could be heard within the Kirigaya residence. Tabitha had responded to Silica's invitation, and Asuna had put on one of her marvelous spreads as a welcoming gesture for their Halkegenian guest. Somehow Klein had also caught wind of the banquet, and had invited himself along as well.
After the meal Kirito had politely excused himself to do some 'vital research'. In his absence, the remaining guests had all congregated in the parlor.
Deeply ensconced in a comfortable armchair, Asuna looked to be at peace with the world. Her daughter Yui was sprawled across her lap, feet dangling over the armrest, head resting in the crook of her Mama's arm. Yui smiled warmly as a maternal hand glided softly over her dark hair.
The quiet bluenette was seated cross legged in front of the glowing red fireplace, open book in her lap, listening closely as Silica prattled on about their shared literary experience.
Between them, Leafa had commandeered the entire lounge. She had also thwarted Klein's attempt to take over Kirito's rocking chair, her wide eyes and quivering lip forcing the Salamander to give up and take the unpadded wooden chair next to Asuna instead.
The look of pleased vindication that she sent towards him after he had settled on the unforgiving wood was enough to reveal that he had been conned once again, and this time he even had to stifle his curses to spare the young ears around him.
Behind them, Silica's partner Pina was comfortably perched upon a hat rack, the small, light-blue feathered dragon curled up around the central strut with her head buried beneath her fluffy tail.
"…so, which of the characters did you like the best?" Silica asked Tabitha.
"…cat…" came the soft, monosyllabic reply.
"Oh, the Cheshire Cat. He's one of my favorites too. I also liked the Hatter – he's so mad that I think he must have been puffing on the Caterpillar's hookah."
Silica paused, her voice becoming more serious.
"Speaking of drugs, you'll never guess what happened to me last week. I bought some pastries from this weird old man, and he also gave me a pouch of green grains – I think he called them 'crystallized crocodile tongues'. He said that if I added water to them and drank it then I'd have an 'unbelievable' experience.
I tried to take them to a street patroller, but I tripped on one of Yggrdrasil's roots and spilled them all over it. I told a member of the City Watch about it, but the officer, I think his name was Vakarian-san, said that if I didn't have any evidence I was wasting his time.
Are 'crocodile tounges' a common drug in Tristain, Tabitha?"
"… not common … " came the brief reply. "… need research…"
Overhearing the conversation, Asuna suddenly started to link the story together with her own experiences that morning. Some of the key words had sparked a memory from her childhood, just like the Wizard of Oz Quest that she had completed with Kirito after starting their honeymoon in SAO.
"Silica… did you say 'crocodile tongues'?"
"Yes."
"And you spilled them onto Yggdrasil?"
"That's right," she said, embarrassed at her clumsiness.
Asuna sighed.
"And this all occurred a week before the rumors started about the Yggdrasil's Giant Fruit?"
"Y…es, I suppose so. Does it really matter though?"
"So that's what happened," Asuna softly exhaled. "They weren't drugs, Silica. At least, not any sort that you'd find in the real world. I think they must have been a left-over quest item from ALO."
"But… what were they supposed to do?"
"If you took them as indicated, I suppose they might have given you a boost to your luck stat. Spilling them onto a plant, though… did you ever read James and the Giant Peach? Or see the movie?"
Silica hadn't, but from the clues Asuna had been leaving, she was starting to get the picture. Poking her fingers together nervously, she admitted her uncertainty to her host.
"When James spilled the crocodile tongues onto a tree, a peach the size of a house grew on it overnight. I suppose that here in the real world it took a week to grow to a similar size – and it's a kumquat, not a peach. Yggdrasil is certainly magical enough, and big enough, to support a fruit of such extraordinary size."
Silence fell as Silica looked at the ground once more.
"So that's what happened!" snapped a loud voice from the corner of the room, startling everyone in the parlor.
Silica had jumped to her feet, Asuna jerked upright, dislodging Yui in the process, while Klein twisted around, his hand grasping instinctively at the air where the hilt of his Katana usually sat. Even Leafa, dozing on the couch, sat up at the unexpected sound. Tabitha was the only one who didn't seem to react, but very little ever seemed to faze the young Chevalier.
Pina flew off the coat rack where she was perched, landing on Silica's shoulder and hissing at Kirito, who was sitting beside them his rocking chair.
"Kyah!" said the feathery dragon.
"I wish he'd stop doing that too, Pina," Silica replied.
"How long have you been sitting there, Kirito?" asked Asuna.
"Oh, only about an hour or so."
They all stared at him in amazement.
Slouched in his chair, the lean Spriggan's nonchalant posture was offset by the smug look on his face as his Hiding Mastery caught them all off guard once more.
"It's a good thing that you dropped those grains, Silica – otherwise who knows when we would have had an opportunity to introduce kumquats to Tristain?
My preparations have 'borne fruit' too. I propose a Food Raid tomorrow – and you're all invited to join me."
"But how will we get past the World Tree's Shield?" asked Leafa, nonplussed.
"Don't worry about that, I've got an idea…. you'll see tomorrow if you decide to come along."
"Onii-san, I know we can avoid the Shield, but I don't think that the seven of us will be enough to take on the World Tree Guardians. Not even if you rope Kimura and his cannons into helping out too. I don't think that the Faerie Council will want to organize another World Tree Raid so soon after Dunkirk, either."
"Na-ah." Kirito replied. "That's not my idea."
"But the only other way is to go through the Shield, and if you bring that down… the official ALO website said that there are Field Bosses guarding the upper branches of Yggdrasil. If there's no Shield, they could start raiding Arrun. Won't that be like opening Pandora's floodgate of worms?"
"I'm not planning to bring down the Shield, either. Just… poke it a bit."
"Hehehe, if Kirito has a plan, I'm sure it'll be as easy as taking candy from a baby," Klein interjected.
"Umm, Klein… have you ever actually tried to take candy from a baby?" asked Silica.
A frown came over Klein's face as he imagined himself doing this… and the inevitable aftermath.
"Well, at least I didn't say 'what could possibly go wrong?' "
"Arrgg! You just said it!" Leafa glared before trying to dope-slap the Salamander over his head.
"Hey, don't touch the Bandana of Asskicking!" Klein squeaked, raising his arms to bat away her hands while leaning away from her. Unfortunately, in doing so he overbalanced, toppling off his chair and landing with a yelp on top of the bluenette sitting on the floor beside him.
Tabitha barely shifted as her book, Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There was knocked right out of her hands. Her eyes traced its path unblinkingly as it tumbled to the floor, the pages fluttering closed.
Her gaze shifted to the Faerie head now resting on her lap.
"Book . . . " she looked directly in Klein's eyes " . . . lost place."
Her hand crept towards her staff, which she had propped up beside the Asuna's armchair.
She whispered one more word to him.
"... run ..."
A brief glimpse into those gimlet eyes, and Klein didn't need to be told twice.
A loud red flash exited the townhouse, followed closely by an almost silent blue one. Kirito's last instructions floated out behind them.
"Meet up here at ten tomorrow – we'll start the Food Hunt after lunch!"
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The next day, the first part of Kirito's plan was revealed. At the back of the Kirigaya townhouse, armored!Tonkii's giant frame hovered over the garden. Half of his slim white tentacles dangled onto the ground, while the other half were curled up beneath him clasping the cross-braces of the copper lightning guides.
Tabitha sat quietly nearby, already mounted on her wind dragon Sylphid.
After a brief "Kyuii!" in greeting and a responsive "Kwooo-on" in reply, the two beasts had settled in peacefully together. Fortunately, Asuna had met Sylphid the previous day, allowing her to tune out the sound which in Albion had been nothing less than a signal that her nemesis Sir Dunwell was approaching.
"Oh. So that's how we'll make it all the way up to the kumquat," said Leafa. "Are you sure we'll be able to get through the Barrier, though?"
"It's not 100%, but I'm pretty sure it'll work. We'll find out soon enough!" replied Kirito. "Ready to go, Tonkii?" he asked.
"Hyuruhyuru!"
One by one Tonkii's trunk snaked out, lifting each of the Faeries in turn onto his back.
"Tabitha?"
Tabitha tightened the straps of her saddle, ready to hover in a covering position beside them.
"… ready …"
Finally, the Raid Party was set. Klein stood closest to Tonkii's head, with Leafa right beside him. Behind them, Yui stood next to Asuna, while Kirito and Silica took up their positions at the rear. Pina was currently sitting atop Sylphid's head, waiting for the signal to fly.
"You're lucky that I thought ahead. I knew that Kirito would find some way to launch us to our destination," said the Salamander.
He paused, then handed Yui a Puca music bottle.
"Here, Yui. You're our designated conductor today. Open this up when the time's right - I need both of my hands free for this."
Drawing his katana, Klein took up an absurdly heroic pose.
"Everyone, ready for the countdown? Three, two, one – 'Tonkii… launch!' "
"Byurururu?" came the confused reply.
"You've got all the class of an orangutan," snarked the Sylph standing beside him. "I'll show you how it's done."
"Yip Yip, Tonkii!" she shouted at the giant drooping ears in front of her.
As the eight giant white wings started to stretch and vibrate, Klein kept his sword pointed rigidly towards their destination.
"Now, Yui!" he shouted.
The strains of his chosen theme surrounded them as Armored War Tonkii launched towards Yggdrasil.
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The World Tree was enormously tall. Its branches, festooned with translucent green leaves, spread out far and wide in equal proportion. In order to contain them all, the Spherical Shield swept well down the Trunk, locking against it at an altitude only a little higher than the top of Arrun Tower.
Klein's chosen theme was still playing strongly when Tonkii's outstretched trunk brushed against it.
Descending a few mails, Tonkii crooned a warbling "Oo-oo-oown" as he hovered just below it.
"What now?" asked Asuna.
"Leave it to me."
Edging towards Tonkii's head, Kirito hastily motioned for Yui to re-cap the bottle, putting the music on hold so he wouldn't have to shout over the top of it. He directed his next comment to their transport.
"OK, Tonkii, remember what we discussed last night?" It's time to do what you did right before Leafa and I flew with you for the very first time."
"Whenever you're ready… GO!"
With an understanding croon, Tonkii's wings began to glow, white light shooting across his body accompanied by a high-pitched resonance.
"Dispel… Field!" yelled Kirito, identifying the Special Ability that only high-level Boss Monsters possessed.
Tonkii glided slowly upwards, the light stretching out like a spiral minaret, guided by his wings towards the Barrier above.
"Kwwwaa..."
Tonkii's call echoed as the rings of spiraling, pulsing light impacted on the Barrier. Disabling magic strong enough to nullify even the most high-powered Fae spells was focused down on a singular point upon Yggdrasil's massive Shield. Following the transition, there was no longer such a thing as an Immortal Object. The shield might be stronger than any Magic produced by an ordinary Fae, but with the power of one of ALO's strongest bosses localized within such a small area…
The Shield shimmered, a small arc gradually losing coherence and dissolving into mist as ring after ring of white light buffeted it. A minute later a gap 20 mails wide had been drilled into the formerly inviolate Barrier.
Tonkii issued a cry of victory, flapping four of his wings and easing himself through the hole, followed closely by Sylphid and Pina. Behind them, the gap in the Shield slowly resealed itself.
"Nice job!" yelled Klein, "Now, let's get that music playing again!"
Deep within Arrun, Bishop suddenly looked up from the book that she had been perusing in the bowels of Arrun's Central Library.
She parted her hands in front of her, unconsciously speed-incanting a complex spell intermixing both Darkness and Wind magic.
Water and Starlight rushed from her hands in equal measure, swirling together to form a broad black crystal that sparked with a tracery of silvery lights. Peering into the crystal, she pondered the sight before her.
"A breach in the Shield? And what is that orange monstrosity doing attached to my Tree?!"
Closing her eyes she relaxed, communing with Yggdrasil.
On a branch near the very top of the World Tree, a pair of large, glowing amber eyes fluttered open.
The Tree's guardian had awakened.
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Eight white wings vibrated strongly, keening like strings on a cello as Tonkii the armored beast lifted its passengers toward the branches of Yggdrasil.
Silica, formerly a Dragon Tamer in the death game of SAO and now a trusted Fae Courier in the world of Halkegenia, kept her balance on Tonkii's back as she peered towards their destination. Her Cait Syth vision, the sharpest of all the Faerie races, could just make out the splash of orange that marked their objective.
Having pierced the World Tree's Altitude Barrier with a Boss level Dispel Magic field, Tonkii had cleared the path for her friends to reach the giant fruit that had germinated after she accidentally spilt a pouch of magic crystals on one of Yggdrasil's roots.
Fortunately, her friends had treated her clumsiness as a boon instead of a blooper. Given their recent displacement, supplies of extra food and seeds for non-native Kumquat plants were valuable commodities for her fellow ALO players, and her friends were keen to collect the bounty hanging above.
Her trusted comrades rode with her, keeping their own wings well rested. The Salamander Klein stood tall atop Tonkii's head, his hand resting on the hilt of his katana. Close behind were their friends from SAO, the Spriggan Kirito and his Maeve wife Asuna. The Black Swordsman and the White Flash had gradually edged forward, eyes gleaming as they used their Perception skill to study the distant fruit.
Slightly to their rear, the Sylph magic swordswoman Leafa, Kirito's younger sister, was holding the hand of their adopted daughter Yui. Yui's other hand held a delicate aqua Music Bottle as it gave out a few last sparkles, the final strains of Klein's Launch Music fading away as the melody came to an end.
One of Silica's newer friends, the Gallian knight Tabitha, closed in on the back of her own familiar, a blue wind dragon named Sylphid.
"Fruit?" asked the dragon rider.
"That way" Silica pointed, squinting at the giant Kumquat as she engaged her own Perception skill.
One of the white elephant-isopod's three sets of black eyes shifted to keep track of Sylphid while another set looked in the direction Silica had just indicated.
"Kwoo-oo-on!"
"Is Sylphid having any trouble keeping up?"
"Kyuuu-ii!" came the swift denial from the wind dragon herself.
They continued to rise as Leafa gently stroked their mount's long, supple white fur.
As they ascended the wind picked up, swirling around the World Tree's trunk. The Fae were built to withstand the cold of high altitude, but any exposed skin would still feel the chill bite of the wind. Silica was happy with the comfort that Pina's very existence brought her, but at that moment her happiness was amplified by the warmth that came from having a feathery dragon perched on her head and two long blue tail feathers draped scarf-like around her neck.
Tonkii's wings continued to flutter in waves as their flight path flattened out, curving gently towards the east. As they approached, the orange fruit started to take form, peeking out from behind the obscuring leaves.
"Wow..." Silica couldn't help but exclaim.
She gazed upon the beautiful ripening fruit as it loomed closer. A real fruit… the size of a house.
A big house.
Subconsciously she made the motion to open up her menu to take a screenshot, before recalling that this was all real now.
A fey mood came over her – joy and sorrow, amazement and melancholy, freedom and loss, all mixed together to form a feeling of wonder.
The small, blue dragon cooed as her master's hand dipped into a pocket to offer her a peanut.
Silica had entered SAO when she was only twelve, and had fought through both nervousness and crushing fear during her time in Aincrad. Pina had protected her since they had first met on the 8th Floor of the floating castle, and with Kirito's help, they had both survived.
With Pina at her side, she had gained the confidence to act as a bastion of calm when the Transition had hit.
So why had her nervousness suddenly returned?
Pina stroked her cheek with her head as she purred on her shoulder.
"Ah! I-I'm sorry, Pina, it's just, something seems a little off…"
Pina raised her head, red eyes scanning around them before suddenly bolting upright, neck stretched out as she focused on the branches in the distance in front of them.
"Kyururu!"
"What!" Silica focused her own attention at the same spot, before tugging on Leafa's jacket as Kirito and Asuna looked back at the commotion.
"Over there! Those black spots on the branches, they're not a pattern, they're moving! They must be some type of Mob!"
Kirito raised his hand, as Leafa asked Tonkii to come to a stop, hovering in place.
"Oh! I see them, they look like some sort of insect. They're probably part of the Quest. If they're like the insects from James and the Giant Peach, then they might be friendly," suggested the Spriggan.
"Or, since Cardinal placed them in ALO, they might be there for PvE," responded Asuna.
Taking charge, the former Sub-Commander of the Knights of Blood set out their strategy.
"Kirito and I will approach first. Klein, hover above us as our backup. If they're hostile, send a few flames their way then dive in. Tabitha, head out to the right so you have a clear shot it you need it. You're our sniper. Yui, stay with Tonkii. Leafa, you're our reserve. Keep a close eye out for any flanking movements, and don't forget to look above and below as well. Silica -" Asuna paused, uncertain what role to give the Cait girl. Certainly she was experienced in battle, but she hadn't been on Aincrad's Front Lines, and she was still young...
"Ah, Asuna, I can stay with Yui and act as Support. My Music Skill is high enough to play some pretty good buffs…"
"Oh. Okay, that's fine. Tonkii… your lightning works wonders against targets on the ground, but in the air it's as likely to strike us as it is to hit our foes. Please stay back, and if anything approaches Yui, poke it with one of your tentacles zap it. Everyone, get ready!"
Faerie wings stretched out, luminous in the sunlight, as the team took up their positions. Just like a proper Raid.
At Asuna's order, the lead group flew towards the Giant Fruit.
As they approached, Kirito's ears picked up a high-pitched buzz. A few seconds later, the noise escalated in a quick angry crescendo, a warning if ever he had heard one.
"Asuna…"
"Yes. That doesn't sound like a happy reception."
Kirito looked longingly at the fruit.
"It looks so ripe…"
"Don't be greedy, Kirito-kun. We can come back later with a bigger raid group. For now, we should retrea –"
Together, their eyes were drawn to movement as a swarm of man-sized flying insects covered in black chitinous armor launched from branches towards them.
"Too late!"
With a quick glance at Kirito, she unsheathed her sword, while backing away to give him more room to maneuver.
"Silica! Now would be a good time for that buff music!"
On Tonkii's back, Silica had her piccolo ready, the memory of well practiced music running towards her fingers, Pina circling above protectively.
"Pina, please help Kirito! Use your «Bubble Breath» to help keep him safe."
She took a final breath, then sounded the start of her Flight Buff, a song to increase the speed, maneuverability, and flight time of the Faeries in her party.
Leafa hovered a few mails in front of them, ready to cast her own healing or shield spells in their defense.
"Yui, aren't you going to change into a pixie to hide?"
"I can help too! I'll sing while Silica plays."
Recalling the last time they had fought together, when the nav-pixie had been snatched from Louise's pocket without anyone noticing, Leafa quickly reconsidered.
"OK. If I tell you to change, though, you'll do it immediately. Right?"
"Yes Aunt Sugu," agreed the young AI.
"Kirito, Asuna – Good Luck!"
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The black Wind Wetas launched from the branch in flights of three, aiming to overwhelm the Faeries in front of them.
In response Kirito and Asuna appeared to kick off from space, their wings thrumming powerfully as they accelerated towards the leading trios.
"Waaait for meeee!" came the plaintive cry of a Salamander.
A fireball, Klein's strongest (and only) homing spell, flew like a roman candle towards a group of insects, exploding as it struck. The smell of formic acid and charred insect wafted up as the injured bugs broke formation, staggering back before circling towards safety.
On the other side, Tabitha drew her focus and called forth a string of high speed icicles, bracketing the insects and causing them to close their formation.
Leafa launched a slew of green wind shrikes into the centre of the bunch, shredding wings and shattering chitin, a spray of shrapnel that caused additional damage. Several of the Wind Wetas caromed into each other, unable to maintain stable flight on damaged wings.
A trio of silver throwing picks traced the distance between them as Kirito closed on next closest flight, lodging in a compound eye and causing the lead enemy to break off.
Then, the Fae duo struck like thunderbolts.
Dual swords clashed with insect arms ridged with hardened spikes of sharp chitin. Sparks flew as the high level Fae alloy was deflected by the defending blades. A quick spin, and the Spriggan darted behind his challengers, blade licking out to sever a wing on either side. Beside him, Asuna's sword darted forward like lightning, piercing eyes, joints and antennae with masterful precision.
They had not had long to practice aerial combat, but with the strains of buff music heightening their skills they had the ability to both out turn and out pace the enemy.
"Aim for the Wings!" came Asuna's cry, as it quickly became apparent where the Wind Wetas main weakness lay.
Klein slammed into the battle, guarding Asuna's flank as Kirito sheathed one of his swords, twirling another twelve centimeter pick into his hand before releasing it in time to strike at the wing base of another insect closing in on Klein from behind.
Leafa kept her sword sheathed too, using high powered single target wind blades to slice through any insects that threatened to ignore the melee and break through to the rear.
Pina did her own part, darting between Leafa and the front line, sending forth a spray of colored bubbles that caused havoc for the attacking insects, striking limbs, paralyzing wings, and causing momentary confusion whenever they struck a head. Wherever her bubbles flew, insects soon plummeted towards the Barrier below.
After a few more moments of furious skirmishing, the aerial battle reached stalemate.
With their initial charge stalled, the Wind Wetas backed off, returning to their haunts and taking up positions before the giant fruit, hiding from the Raid team's ranged attacks behind the nigh impregnable Yggdrasil leaves. Several of the insect teams crawled along the branches, ready to harry the Fae from widely dispersed directions if they continued to approach.
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Over the next minute, the Faerie team gradually pulled back, disengaging from the fight.
Kirito, Asuna and Klein returned to Tonkii, resting their wings as Leafa and Tabitha kept their foci pointed towards the insects.
Silica let her buff music lapse, preserving her mana as they retreated. Pina and Sylphid fell into formation in front of Tonkii, ready to head off any final sallies.
Suddenly, the angry buzzing went silent.
As the Faeries looked questioningly at each other, Pina chirruped, before fleeing behind Tabitha…
"Wait, what's wrong, Pina?"
Silica had highly developed Familiar Communication skills even before she had started training in Halkegenia. This time, however, it seemed that her skills were not needed. A pair of Tonkii's eyes widened comically, and beast swiveled around.
"Yrrruu-?"
Facing them, bronze wings spread wide, a mighty dragon spiraled down from above. Ember-bright eyes caught each of them in turn as if testing their souls. Silica, recognizing the Mob from KoKo's descriptions, took a sharp breath.
"It-it's M-m-m-eg… Tonkii, I th-think it's time t-to go."
"Meg?" asked Tabitha, uncertainly.
"Ah," Silica tried to stop her stutter "M-Megelaar… the Dragon who Guards the Tree"
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Megelaar, the newly woken Dragon, glided down towards the Incident. He glanced towards the Faeries.
Insignificant.
The Jotunheimr Guardian was a different matter, but it seemed to be keeping its distance.
The Faeries were inconsequential. Such trivial beings, with their lesser intellect and their lesser magic. Megelarr cared nothing for such unimportant beings. What mattered to him, was the health of his Tree, the Source from which the world of ALfheim sprung.
With a beat of his wings, the Bronze Dragon glided over the top of the Fae, disregarding them the same way that he disregarded the Wind Wetas that suddenly sprung up in his path.
With a negligent wave of a wing, winds buffeted the insects aside, batting them from his path.
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Before Tonkii could move, the Dragon's shadow passed over them.
The Raid team paused as the majestic beast gained pace, bowling the insects out of the way before slashing towards the giant fruit.
Kirito sighed.
"Well, I suppose a creature as big as that needs to get food from somewhere."
A moment later, he watched in surprise as Megelaar ignored the fruit itself, latched on instead to the stem, clamping down with powerful jaws and claws, rending the wood, sawing, cutting, slicing through until the connection was severed and the alien fruit departed from the Tree.
A moment later, it became apparent that the Dragon had no interest in chasing the Fruit any further.
"Everyone AFTER IT!" shouted Kirito, diving down in a desperate bid to save the plummeting Kumquat.
"Ki-ri-tooo!" came the cry from the rest of the Fae. The word was the same, but the inflections were rather different. Exasperation from Asuna, a plaintive cry from Leafa, surprise from Silica, and a call to battle from Klein.
A fraction of a second later, Tonkii added his own war cry, an ululating "Yurururuu!" as he dived after the speeding Spriggan, his passengers hanging on to his fur with all their strength.
"Aaaaaahhhhhhhhh!"
Kirito made it first, grabbing hold of the stem, wings brightening to full capacity as he tried to slow its descent. Tonkii was next, tentacles wrapping round the leafy stalk with a playful "Kwoo-n!" as he joined in the game.
"Everyone HELP PUU-ULL!" shouted the Spriggan, in his crazed effort to save the fruit from an ignominious end.
The fruit slowed, but not enough.
"We're not strong enough, Nii-chan!" shouted Leafa.
"We need a buff! Silica, we're counting on you!"
With Kirito's eyes pleading with her to do her best, Silica let go of the Kumquat and pulled out her piccolo from its pouch. Closing her eyes, she let another melody flow through her, this one faster paced, aimed at increasing the thrust of their Wings.
With the light from their wings intensifying, the Fruit finally slowed.
"Wwoooo-hhooooo!" shouted the Spriggan gleefully as they dropped through the one-way Altitude Barrier, landing the Kumquat successfully at the edge of the Central Markets.
"God Job everyone!" praised Asuna in relief, as Yui clapped her hands and everyone cheered.
"I'm really glad! We saved the Kumquat – that means good things for dinner tonight!"
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Later that night, the Kirigaya home was full. Sakuya and the other Fae-Lords-in-residence had joined them for one of Asuna's marvelous banquets, complete with Kumquat Salad.
Tabitha cleared off her fifth serving of the dish, ignoring the astonished looks on Silica and Leafa's faces.
Klein grabbed a mug of Sunshine Mead, sitting down next to Kirito in the backyard, a contented smile on his face.
"So, they nationalized the Kumquat?"
"Wasn't much else they could do with it. None of us could have used a fraction of it, and this way, they can mobilize enough workers to get a temporary jam factory up and running.
Kirito lowered his voice, a smile of satisfaction creeping over his features.
"Anyway, I made a deal with Sakuya and Rute. In return for using Asuna's recipe, we get a percentage of all the proceeds, and they'll keep the source of the recipe secret. I couldn't have asked for anything more!"
Snuggled up beside her father, Yui raised her head to whisper to Klein too.
"It was a fun adventure. Sometimes we're lucky that Papa's so greedy – if he wasn't, everyone would still be out helping clean up splattered Kumquat!"
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Silica sighed. The Great Kumquat Raid had been a complete success, but it had also led to a lot of work.
The Tristanian mages had done their part, placing Preservation spells on the giant fruit to ensure it remained fresh while the Faerie gatherers rendered it into useable portions.
As a courier, Silica was exempt from that type of manual labor.
She had, however, been working equally hard, flying messages, trade samples and gifts of Kumquat condiments to nobles and merchants throughout the land. Not all the tasks had been chores, but they had all been draining.
Yesterday she had made the round trip to Goubniu and TauTona.
Along with the regular satchels of reports and missives from the Arrun City Council to the Offices of the Leprechaun and Gnome Mayors, she had also carried a pack full of the makings of Kumquat Tea. Everyone wanted a chance to sample a taste of home, and the industrious Leprechauns were willing to pay top Yurudo to have fresh supplies delivered to them every morning. As a final touch, Asuna had also provided her with a plate of one of her new Kumquat compositions to deliver to Liz.
It was certainly tempting, but in the end Silica had ignored the urge to sample the dish before passing it on. Liz, however, had been much less reserved. She had fallen upon the meal as soon as it was in her hands, chowing down ravenously right in front of Pina. Even worse, she hadn't even bothered to offer them a bite!
She had, however, offered to write Silica an 800 word essay about the taste - something she had no doubt learned from her crotchety master Kofu. Although it might have been a ploy she had learned from Agil instead… take the spoils, then pretend you're a simpleton by making an outrageous offer in reparation…
Her time in TauTona had been equally busy, delivering high quality, low volume reagents culled from Mobs that spawned near Goubniu. After dropping them off she had received several bottles from the Bronze Orb's proprietor to bring back with her to Arrun Tower. Several of the highly placed workers at the Tower had apparently developed a fondness for the specialized Gnome brews.
Finally, she had gotten back to her own bed just after midnight.
The next morning she put her foot down. A week had passed, and it was time for her to take a break!
And that was the nub of the problem. Her one day off that week… and it was raining.
*Sigh*
Standing in the kitchen, she leaned on the bench beside the sink, looking out at the raindrops drenching the back garden.
"So Silica – how was Liz? Did she like my dish?"
"Of course! No one else can cook like you, Asuna. She even gave me this to give to you!"
Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a crumpled piece of paper.
She may not have been trained by Agil, but her father Tetsuhiko had once told her that one should never refuse something that is offered for free.
"Umm… what's that?"
"It's the report Liz wrote for you about the taste! She grumbled a lot – hah! Said it reminded her of homework, but she really wanted to make sure she recorded her impressions about the meal!"
"Ah – so what's she doing now? Learning more about swordmaking?" asked Asuna, smoothing out the paper to read its contents.
"Err, not really. Apparently she had to go back to Agil for remedial lessons. She tried to win another coup over the Mages, but when she asked them how much they would charge to cast Preservation over a single piece of fruit, they laughed at her and told her if she brought it to them they'd do it for free. Of course, she couldn't do it, and when they realized what she was trying to pull, they almost added a surcharge! If I hadn't been there to remind them that Faeries are supposed to try to trick humans, who knows what they would have charged! Agil was really annoyed when he heard about what she tried to pull, though."
Asuna looked at her for a moment, before a snicker made it threw her lips.
Within seconds, the two of them were laughing uproariously at Liz's antics.
"That girl!" haha-hahaha *draws breath* ha "I don't think she'll ever stop trying to outdo her mentor!"
"Thanks for making her give me the feedback, Silica. It's always nice to know what I did right, so I can improve on bits that she doesn't talk about!"
With that remark, Silica was reminded once again that Asuna was one of the sharpest people she knew.
I'll have to remind Liz never to try and put a fast one on her. If she doesn't know that already…
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As the morning progressed, Silica finally found reason to venture out into the garden. It was still drizzling, but when a bedraggled looking friend descends upon your yard, you really do need to say hello to them, even if they're not coming inside.
"Oo-oo-oown" came the soft, bass cry.
"AH! Tonkii-san! What are you doing out here in the rain?"
"Ubyrho? …kwooo- ruuu!"
"Oh! You wanted to visit, and it wasn't raining when you left home?" Silica was puzzled by this for a moment. It had been raining constantly since before she had woken that morning. Then she realized that Tonkii's 'home' was an underground cavern.
"You poor thing! I bet you've never experienced rain before in your life! Here, let me take those lightning conductors for you. I bet they're pretty cold to hold onto in this sort of weather!"
"Kuooo-n."
The furry flying beast handed the copper rods to her one at a time, and she quickly stacked them under cover just inside the kitchen door.
Tonkii looked on with sad eyes, wings dripping water, trunk drooping, and soft white fur matting down in odd tufts due to the rain.
He looked oddly cute.
"Awww, just look at you. You look like you could do with a hug."
Turning around, Silica spotted the person she was after helping her mother make lunch.
"Come on, Yui! I need your help to give Tonkii a big hug!"
"Umm, is that alright, Mama?" the young AI asked her mother.
"Of course, Yui. Just make sure you go dry off as soon as you come back inside."
Together, the two young girls approached the beast. While Yui wrapped her arms around his trunk, Silica spread her own arms as wide as they would go, and pressed against the hug beast's side.
"Thanks for coming over, Tonkii."
"Byururuyyyuu" rumbled the beast, in thanks.
After a minute or two, Yui released the hug, standing up on her tip toes to stroke Tonkii's fur instead.
"You know, Silica, I have an idea of something we can do for Tonkii!"
"Wh- oh. What do you mean, Yui?"
"Well, he's not used to rain, and it's annoying when the drizzle gets in your eyes. And since Tonkii as three pairs of eyes…"
"Umm, it's not like we can make him a set of goggles, Yui."
"Well, how about a waterproof hat?" returned the younger girl in sensible tones.
"Oh! A hat!?" Silica turned the thought over in her mind. "But where can we get the right sort of fabric to make a Tonkii sized waterproof hat?"
"Ah… don't worry! I already know the answer to that!" with a skip and a jump, Yui darted back to the kitchen door.
"Mama!"
"Yes, Yui?"
"Is it OK if I go with Silica to the Kumquat? We'd like to get the leaf that's still stuck to the stem."
"Well… ahh… how will you get it back here, Yui?" asked Asuna, leaving aside for the moment the question of why a 10 year old girl would want a huge leaf.
"Umm… what about Papa? He's really strong! And he can use his sword to cut the leaf from the stem!"
With a hum, Asuna decided that Yui was certainly right about that.
"OK, Yui. Your papa's asleep on the rocking chair in the parlor, but you can go and wake him up. Tell him that lunch will be ready as soon as he comes back with the leaf."
With a huge smile, Yui ran in and hugged her mother too, before scooting off towards the parlor.
"Yui-chan!" her mother called after her in dismay, looking at the wet patches that she had left on both the floor and Asuna's skirt. "Oh well. I'll talk to her about tracking water through the house when she gets back."
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An hour later, Silica was putting her Sewing Skill to good use. She had leveled it up to 606 in SAO, and since her skills had carried over to ALO she now knew exactly how to create a hat for Tonkii.
With a deft touch, she used an Obsidian Dagger to cut the impossibly tough leaf like cloth, and a 12cm long Tungsten Throwing Pick of Kirito's to lace the thread through the pieces.
It was difficult work, but she was happy to put the effort in for a friend in need.
Another half hour and it was done, along with a second, smaller version that she had made from the leftover scraps.
Gathering up the Yggdrasil Leaf Hats, she plonked the smaller one on her head before carted the larger one out the back door towards the snoozing Tonkii.
"Tonkii-san! Wake up! I've got your hat ready for you!"
Unfortunately, Tonkii remained fast asleep.
"Well… if you're going to be like that!"
She carefully placed her hat on the ground alongside its larger brother, before crouching into her Stalking Mode. . .
"TICKLE ATTACK!"
With a flying leap, Silica vaulted onto the beast's back and began chivying the fur just behind Tonkii's big, floppy ears.
"YuruRurUrURU!"
With a trembling wiggle, Silica was almost dislodged. She quickly found her feet, just like a Cait, and with a quick, acrobatic vault she somersaulted straight over Tonkii's head, landing on her feet right in front of the beast.
With a sprightly wave, she grinned up at her newly awoken friend.
"Hi there, Tonkii-san!"
"Yrrrwiiiin?"
"Not yet! But I've finished your hat! It's just over there," she said, pointing to the large dark green object near the back of the house. The tricorn hat was almost a mail tall, and over two mails across. With careful movements, Tonkii picked it up with its trunk, before carefully positioning it on it's head at a rather rakish angle. It was just large enough that the brim could keep the water out of all six of its eyes.
"It looks perfect, Tonkii!"
Silica clapped her hands in praise.
She picked up her own version of the hat, and placed it on her own head at a matching angle.
"Now we look like twins! Let's go visit Arrun Home – I want to show Balandene and Rika how fashionable we both look, even in the rain!"
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The next day dawned clear and bright.
Clear enough, and bright enough, that the entire Kirigaya household was out in the morning sunshine preparing a plot in the back garden. Beneath the dewy grass the soil was loamy and moist, the absence of mud following the previous day's showers was proof enough that it was quite well-drained. With the Spring days lengthening towards Summer, it was the perfect time, and the perfect place, to cultivate some fruit.
Along the back wall of the garden, Asuna and Leafa were filling a line of pots with a mix of peat and soil leavened with some sand collected from the beach at Arrun Lake. In front of them, Kirito and Klein were busily tilling the soil in a two mail wide strip, heaping the dirt into a slight mound as they extended the plot in front of the pots.
Yui and Pina flitted between the kitchen and the garden under Silica's direction, planting kumquat seeds and dried watermelon pips in the pots and loam respectively.
"Good job, Yui-chan!" encouraged Silica as the pixie girl's arms disappeared into one of the inch deep holes that had been poked into the soil, laying a trio of watermelon seeds at the bottom. "Three seeds to each hole, four feet apart, just like the gardening book says!"
Pina scooped some soil over the top of the seeds, then smoothed the surface over with a brush of a dexterous wing. Yui then fluttered up to her, taking a seat on the feathery dragon's neck before the pair flew back to the house to collect their next batch of seeds.
A tranquil flute like "shyuru-shyurururu" sounded from above as the Faeries continued their planting.
On the other side of the garden Tonkii was relaxing in a gentle hover, hat in place, contentedly grazing away. A long tentacle snaked out to the surrounding shrubbery and plucked another flower to munch on. For the herbivorous giant the garden was the equivalent of a self-serve buffet, and it seemed that Tonkii was partial to the violet flowers in particular.
"Ah! It's hot!" exclaimed the Salamander, wiping his brow with his bandana as he finally completed the row.
Kirito looked at him askance. "Aren't Salamanders supposed to be immune to the heat?"
"Oi~, it's not the heat, it's the work!" Klein complained. "I can't work like this without getting hot… I need a drink."
"Byuru?" asked Tonkii, drawing everyone's attention. Asuna, who had just finished whispering in Tonkii's ear, nodded and turned away.
"Wait a sec…" said Klein, as Tonkii's trunk snuck into the full watering can that Asuna had left behind. "I don't need a drink that mu- arghh!"
His sentence ended in a yell of betrayal as the flying elephant-beast blasted him with a spray of water.
"Did that help cool you down?" asked Kirito, his mirth hidden within an artful innocence.
His sister broke down in laughter at the sight of the dripping Salamander. "Hey Klein, why don't you come over here? The seeds need to be watered, and if you stand right here you can drip right on top of them!"
"Respect," grumbled the Samurai as he pulled down his sleeves and started wringing them out. "What does a man need to do to get some respect around here?"
"Don't worry, Klein, it's almost lunch time," Silica consoled him. "Go dry off. I'm sure you and Kirito can get a drink while Yui and Leafa help Asuna prepare lunch. I'll look after Tonkii."
A silly grin came over the Salamander's face at the thought of his reward for a hard morning's work, and he dripped his way off towards the house.
"Mmm…" Kirito drooled, before joining him. "Sandwich-san awaits."
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As the other members of the household prepared for lunch, Silica decided on something different.
"Come on Tonkii, let's go exploring. Asuna, we'll be back in half an hour!"
Widening her stance, she took off with a quick salute and a rakish flap of her wings, an affectation that she and Yuuki had spent some time perfecting. When you worked as a courier, it was important to show the customers just what they were paying for!
A minute later, she reached the tall woods on the eastern side of the World Tree. The Mob Patrols ensured that the woods were free of vermin, making it perfect for playing a game or two.
"OK Tonkii, let's play hide and seek. Close your eyes, and Pina and I will go hide. Count to a hundred, then come find us!"
Instructions given, she waited a second for Tonkii affirmative "Kwoo-n!" before setting off to find a good place to hide.
Twenty minutes later they had all taken a turn to both hide and seek, with Tonkii winning handily. This was followed by an exhilarating game of tag, and this time Pina's remarkable mobility won the day. They had just enough time left for a brief break before they returned for lunch.
Silica watched on as Tonkii and Pina both rested. The grove where they had settled was festooned with similar violet flowers to those in the Kirigaya's garden. An idle tentacle reached out to snag another snack from the bushes.
Interest piqued, Silica looked around surreptitiously before plucking a flower for her own. She carefully checked to make sure that Lisbeth was nowhere in sight, then bit into it curiously.
Clearly, she was not an Elephant-Beast.
In the future, she would limit her culinary investigations to Asuna's experimental meals.
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After a wonderful supper and an evening spent talking in the parlor, everyone retreated to their beds for the night. Rather than return to her dorm room in Arrun Home, Silica had accepted Asuna's offer of one of the guest rooms. Luckily for her it was her favorite room in the entire house - the second floor bedroom overlooking the back yard.
Fluffing up the pillow, she snuggled into the bed, shifting slightly as Pina nuzzled into her side.
An hour later, Silica's ears twitched as she slowly surfaced from sleep.
*Yawwwnn*
The young Cait Syth stretched.
What woke me up?
Looking about the room, nothing seemed obviously amiss. Blue and red moonlight peppered the room, sprinkling through the leaves far above in a mismatch of conjoined color. Pina was still deeply asleep on the pillow beside her, breathing peacefully with a soft "kyururu… spee. . . kyururu... spee. . ."
Silica rolled off the edge of her bed lightly, landing on the rug on all fours just like a cat. A careful examination under the bed showed that the soot sprites had indeed departed, and no other mini-Mobs had taken their place.
Sitting up, a quizzical look crossed her face. Then, her ears twitched again. Wafting through the window came a soft noise, like a groan followed by a series of pops.
Silica gave Pina a gentle shake to wake her, then wended her way to the window on silent feet, feathery dragon draped on top of her head. Together, they peeped out over the sill.
There below them was an extraordinary sight.
In front of the newly planted seeds, Tonkii was bobbing up and down in an odd display, tentacles stretching and retracting as a soft green light shimmered from them in waves.
Beside the giant beast stood another barely met acquaintance, the chibi albino elephant she had first seen the day after she had helped out Leafa and Asuna. The albino chibi was mimicking its larger cousin, fur tipped white trunk curling up and down as it too stretched toward the air. It looked almost like a ritual to promote fertility…
*grooaaan*
Pop!
This time Silica was caught prepared, spotting the Kumquat tree as it sprouted from its pot.
So that's what was happening!
It couldn't be easy finding food in the frozen wastes of «Jotunheimr» - it made perfect sense that the Beast Gods would have some special magic to promote growth! They must use it to cause their food to sprout quickly so that the Ice Giants couldn't find and trample the crops as they grew.
Entranced, Silica watched on as citrus trees unfurled new leaves and watermelon vines sprouted from the ground. Asuna and Kirito would sure be surprised when they woke up the next morning!
Finally, the magic dissipated and Tonkii gave out a soft croon, eyes catching sight of the young Cait.
Silica allowed her yellow wings to spread, then glided down to the yard. With a grin, she selected the two largest watermelons.
Sitting on the back porch, she sliced them open so that they could all share, and set about making friends with the smaller elephant.
All in all, she couldn't have asked for anything more - good food, good friends, and good surprises all around. She still missed Japan, but every day in Arrun brought with it new experiences, challenges, and tests of character.
A sense of comfort stole over her. She missed her parents, she missed her pet cat, she even missed the instructors at school, but she was gradually becoming accustomed to her new home. And on days like this, when everything seemed just about perfect, that this new world was good enough.
It was, after all, a magical end to a magical day.